ISRO chief says NVS-03 launched with three open pyro valves to ensure reliability
ISRO placed the navigation satellite NVS-03 into orbit using three pyro valves left open, a measure taken after testing to avoid the failure that affected NVS-02.
India's space agency successfully inserted the navigation satellite NVS-03 into a precise orbit on Saturday using the GSLV-F18 launch vehicle. Chief V Narayanan explained that the satellite was operated with three pyro valves open, a step taken to improve mission reliability after the NVS-02 failure in 2025.
Narayanan said the configuration was approved following vibration and shock tests conducted by a national-level committee chaired by former ISRO chief Kiran Kumar. The agency identified the earlier failure as a loss of drive signal to the oxidiser-line pyro valve, likely caused by a connector contact disengagement.
The satellite, weighing 2,240 kg, achieved a perigee of 170.31 km against a planned 170.36 km and an apogee of 38,080 km, slightly higher than the targeted 37,247 km. The deployment restores the NavIC constellation to its minimum operating level of four satellites, supporting both strategic and civilian location services across the region.
Narayanan noted that NavIC currently tracks about 10,400 locomotives and 64,000 fishing vessels in real time, with plans to extend coverage to 100,000 vessels under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. He added that NavIC will become available on civilian mobile phones once the full seven-satellite constellation is in place.
Looking ahead, ISRO aims to launch five more missions this financial year, including the first uncrewed Gaganyaan flight and several small-satellite launches, and plans to send NVS-04 and NVS-05 into orbit within the next five and ten months respectively.