India’s space agency, ISRO, has successfully positioned the Indian Navy’s advanced communication satellite, GSAT-7R (CMS-03), into its final orbit. Launched on November 2 by the LVM3 rocket, the satellite has now reached a circular orbit roughly 36,000 kilometers above Earth. ISRO Chief Dr. V. Narayanan confirmed that the spacecraft is functioning precisely as intended.
When communication satellites are launched, they are first placed in an elliptical path known as the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)—a temporary parking orbit from which they gradually ascend to their final operational position. In GTO, satellites travel close to Earth at about 170 to 200 kilometers (perigee) and swing out to nearly 36,000 kilometers (apogee). To establish consistent communication coverage, satellites must then raise themselves into a circular geostationary orbit directly above the equator.
A geostationary orbit keeps a satellite synchronized with Earth’s rotation, ensuring it remains fixed above a specific region. Positioned above the Indian subcontinent, GSAT-7R will continuously cover the Indian landmass and its surrounding maritime region. This orbital stability is the same reason home television antennas remain fixed toward a single point in the sky—they connect with geostationary satellites that appear motionless relative to Earth.
Due to the lifting limitations of ISRO’s LVM3 rocket—which can carry around 4,000 kilograms to GTO—the GSAT-7R was initially placed in a lower orbit, with its closest point to Earth at 170 kilometers and the farthest at 26,700 kilometers. ISRO then carried out a series of engine burns to gradually elevate the satellite to its designated 36,000-kilometer circular orbit.
Weighing 4,400 kilograms, GSAT-7R stands as India’s largest and heaviest military communication satellite built and launched domestically. It will provide encrypted, real-time communication—enabling seamless data, voice, and video transmission between naval ships, submarines, aircraft, and coastal command centers.
The GSAT-7R replaces the decade-old GSAT-7, which weighed 2,650 kilograms and was launched in 2013 aboard Europe’s Ariane rocket due to ISRO’s earlier payload limitations. This new mission not only showcases India’s growing self-reliance in heavy satellite launches but also fortifies the Navy’s operational communication and maritime domain awareness across the Indian Ocean.
