India launches new navigation satellite to boost own GPS-Xinhua - 新华网

NEW DELHI, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its next-generation navigation satellite NVS-03 aboard the GSLV-F18 rocket to boost the country's independent navigation system, Navigation with Indian Constellation, it confirmed on Saturday.

The launch took place at 11:51 p.m. local time on Friday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in the Sriharikota area of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

"GSLV-F18 has successfully placed NVS-03 in the intended orbit. Congratulations," stated ISRO in a post on X.

Congratulating ISRO scientists on the feat, the country's Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said in a post on X that this achievement reflects India's growing prowess in space technology and its unwavering commitment to strengthening sovereign indigenous navigation capabilities.

According to ISRO, the GSLV-F18 was the 20th flight of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle. The third satellite in the next-generation navigation satellite system, the NVS-03, is envisaged to provide continuity of navigation services for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System series. ■