ISRO LVM3

• Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) in its sixth consecutive successful flight placed 36 satellites of OneWeb into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• With this, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) has successfully executed its contract to launch 72 satellites of OneWeb to LEO, 36 of which were placed in October, 2022.
  • NSIL is under Department of Space and commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

About LVM3 (earlier called Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle Mark III or GSLV-MK3)

• LVM3 is a three-stage rocket with the first stage fired with liquid fuel, the two strap-on motors powered by solid fuel, the second by liquid fuel and the third is the cryogenic engine.
• It has a carrying capacity of 8 tonnes to LEO and 4 tonnes to Geo Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• It is ISRO’s second rocket for global commercial market, after its Polar Satellite Launch vehicle (PSLV).
• Its key missions include- Chandrayaan-2, Gaganyaan (Human Space Flight), Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L1 (mission to study sun).

About One Web

• One Web is a joint venture between India’s Bharti Enterprises and U.K. government to deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity worldwide.
• OneWeb satellites operate in LEO at an altitude of 1,200 kilometers.