India commenced its space endeavors for 2025 with a successful launch. Late Tuesday, a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk II propelled the NVS-02 satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. This launch, originating from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at 7:53 p.m. Eastern (0053 UTC), marks the second in a series of five next-generation spacecraft designed for the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).
ISRO chairman V. Narayanan expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I am extremely happy to announce from the spaceport of ISRO that the first launch of this year, 2025, has been successfully accomplished, with the GSLV F15 launch vehicle precisely injecting the navigation satellite NVS-02 in the required intended orbit.” The NavIC system is designed to provide India and its surrounding regions with precise real-time positioning, velocity, and timing services. It offers a Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for public use and a Restricted Service (RS) for military and strategic purposes.
The 2,250-kilogram NVS-02 satellite, positioned at 111.75 degrees East, replaces the IRNSS-1E launched in 2016. Its precise timekeeping relies on a blend of domestically produced and externally sourced atomic clocks, as reported by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The three-stage GSLV launcher, featuring solid, liquid, and cryogenic stages alongside four liquid boosters, facilitated this mission.
This successful launch is the first of ten planned orbital launches for India in 2025, setting a new domestic record. Key upcoming missions include a collaborative Earth science mission with NASA (NISAR), anticipated around March, and an uncrewed Gaganyaan test flight. Additionally, the first launch of Vikram-1 by Skyroot Aerospace is also slated for this year. The recent launch marked the 100th from the Sriharikota spaceport, a significant milestone since the inaugural launch in August 1979. ISRO officials, particularly Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director S. Unnikrishnan Nair, who stated, “I am sure we can achieve the 200th mark faster because of the vibrant ecosystem,” are confident in accelerating launch frequency. The Indian government recently approved a third launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre for a Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).
India's space ambitions are far-reaching. The nation aims to become the fourth to independently develop human spaceflight capabilities, construct the Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035, and achieve a crewed moon landing by 2040. The recent successful on-orbit docking test using two Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) spacecraft on January 16th underscores India’s progress toward these ambitious goals, paving the way for future missions such as Chandrayaan-4.