Countdown for launch of LVM3-M3 rocket carrying 36 satellites begins

CHENNAI: The countdown for ISRO's LVM3 rocket carrying 36 satellites is set to lift off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Sunday morning at 9:00 am.

India’s heavy launch vehicle, Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-III), will deploy 36 satellites of the UK-based Network Access Associated Ltd (OneWeb) to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) on Sunday.

This is the second mission for Network Access Associates Limited, the United Kingdom (OneWeb Group Company) under a commercial agreement with M/s. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) to launch 72 satellites to Low-Earth Orbits.

The first set of 36 satellites was launched in LVM3-M2/OneWeb India-1 mission on October 23, 2022.

In this mission, LVM3 would place 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites totaling about 5,805 kg into a 450 km circular orbit with an inclination of 87.4 degrees.

This is the sixth flight of LVM3. The LVM3 had five consecutive successful missions, including the Chandrayaan-2 mission.