Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated the scientists and engineers of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the successful launch of the GSLV-F18 rocket carrying the next-generation navigation satellite NVS-03, saying the mission would strengthen India’s indigenous satellite navigation system, NavIC, and advance the country’s pursuit of self-reliance in critical technologies.
Highlighting the significance of the indigenous atomic clock onboard the satellite, Narayanan said two such clocks were already functioning in orbit, and the third had now been placed in space.
“Congratulations to our scientists and engineers at ISRO on the successful launch of GSLV-F18 carrying NVS-03. Equipped with enhanced capabilities, NVS-03 will further our pursuit of self-reliance in critical technologies and support navigation services that benefit our people. ISRO launched its next-generation navigation satellite NVS-03 aboard the GSLV-F18 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Friday.
This mission marks an important step in strengthening NavIC, our indigenous satellite navigation system. The dedication and ingenuity of our space scientists continue to make our nation proud,” Modi wrote on X. The satellite successfully separated from the launch vehicle and was injected into its intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
