ISRO's LVM3 to make commercial foray with launch of 36 OneWeb satellites on October 23

 BENGALURU: ISRO’s heaviest rocket LVM3 will launch 36 broadband satellites by British startup OneWeb from Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota spaceport on October 23, marking the entry into the service market. Global commercial launch of the launcher.
LVM3 was previously known as GSLV Mk III.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) with headquarters in Bengaluru said that the launch of ‘LVM3 – M2 / OneWeb India-1 Mission’ is scheduled at 00:00 IST on 23rd October (midnight). October 22).
“Cryo phase, instrument bay (EB) assembly completed. Satellites packaged and assembled in vehicle. Final vehicle inspection underway.”
Earlier this month, ISRO said that NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a central public sector enterprise (CPSE) affiliated to the Ministry of Space and the commercial arm of the space agency, had signed two launch service contracts with The Network Access Association is based in the UK. Limited (OneWeb) to launch OneWeb LEO (low earth orbit) broadband communications satellite aboard ISRO’s LVM3.
This is the first commercial launch exclusively for LVM3 on demand through NSIL.
“This contract with M/s OneWeb is a historic milestone for NSIL and ISRO, as LVM3, is entering the global commercial launch services market,” it said.
The newest rocket is capable of launching a 4-ton class of satellites into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
The LVM3 is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor straps, a liquid-propelled core stage and a cryogenic stage.
Bharti Enterprises of India is the major investor and shareholder in OneWeb.