Countdown for ISRO’s 100th mission beginsNVS-02 navigation satellite scheduled for liftoff at 6:23 am today fromsecond launch pad at SDSC

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated the 27-hour countdown for its historic 100th mission, marking a significant achievement for the space agency. The mission, which involves the launch of the NVS-02 navigation satellite, is scheduled for liftoff at 6:23 am on January 29, 2025, from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota.
The launch will be conducted aboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) in its 17th flight, featuring an indigenous Cryogenic upper stage. The NVS-02 satellite, developed by ISRO’s U R Rao Satellite Centre, is the second in the series of Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) satellites. It aims to improve the accuracy of positioning, velocity, and timing for users across the Indian subcontinent and in regions up to 1,500 km beyond India’s borders.
The 50.9-m-tall GSLV-F15 follows the successful GSLV-F12 mission, which launched the first of the second-generation satellites, NVS-01, on May 29, 2023. The NVS-02 satellite will form part of a five-satellite constellation, designed to enhance NavIC’s base layer with improved features, ensuring continued service.
Weighing approximately 2,250 kg, NVS-02 carries a navigation payload in the L1, L5, and S bands, along with a ranging payload in the C-band, similar to its predecessor. The satellite will support a wide range of applications, including terrestrial, aerial, and maritime navigation, precision agriculture, fleet management, location-based services for mobile devices, orbit determination for satellites, IoT applications, and emergency and timing services.
The successful launch of the NVS-02 satellite will further reinforce India’s space navigation capabilities, as ISRO continues to make strides in space exploration and technological advancement.
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