ISRO LVM3 Heavy-lift Rocket Launch: US BlueBird 6 Communications Satellite

ISRO LVM3 Heavy-lift Rocket Launch: US BlueBird 6 Communications Satellite

On Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved another significant milestone for India's space program, successfully launching the LVM3-M6 rocket carrying the next-generation US communication satellite, BlueBird Block-2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This mission highlights India's strengths in space technology and the critical role of ISRO’s heavy-lift vehicle, the LVM3 rocket, in the global space industry.

The LVM3, ISRO’s most powerful rocket, is known for its ability to carry large payloads into space, making it essential for missions requiring high payload capacity. In this mission, LVM3-M6 successfully placed the 6,100 kg BlueBird Block-2 satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This makes the BlueBird Block-2 the heaviest payload ever launched by the LVM3, setting a new benchmark for the rocket’s capabilities.

The satellite launch is part of a commercial mission, underlining ISRO's growing role in the international space market. The BlueBird Block-2 satellite was launched as part of a partnership between ISRO and U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile, aimed at providing global mobile broadband coverage. The satellite's primary objective is to improve communication networks by providing mobile connectivity across underserved regions, especially in remote areas. At nearly 2,400 square feet, BlueBird 6 is over three times the size and ten times the capacity of AST SpaceMobile’s six satellites currently in orbit. The satellite is designed to enable peak data rates of up to 120 Mbps directly to standard, unmodified mobile devices, supporting voice, full data, and video applications from space.

More information: 

https://isro.gov.in/LVM3_M6_BlueBird_Block2_Mission.html

AST SpaceMobile: https://feeds.issuerdirect.com/news-release.html?newsid=4645472761706619

Sriharikota is a barrier island off the Bay of Bengal coast located in the Shar Project settlement of Tirupati district in Andhra Pradesh, India. It houses the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, one of the two satellite launch centres in India (the other being Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, Thiruvananthapuram). ISRO launches satellites using multistage rockets, such as the PSLV and the GSLV, from Sriharikota. Sriharikota was selected by ISRO because of its proximity to the equator, it gives extra centripetal force from the rotation of Earth.

Image Credit: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) 
Image Dates: Dec. 19-24, 2025

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