Goa, Nov. 1 -- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up to launch its heaviest 'Bahubali' rocket on Sunday at 5:26 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Officially known as the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3), this will be its eighth flight, with all previous seven missions recording a 100 per cent success rate.

Standing 43.5 metres tall-equivalent to a 15-storey building-the LVM-3 weighs an impressive 642 tonnes, the same as 150 adult Asian elephants. The rocket will carry the CMS-03 satellite, designed to strengthen the Indian Navy's maritime communication and defence network.

The CMS-03, weighing 4,400 kg, will replace the decade-old GSAT-7 (Rukmini) satellite, enhancing secure commun...