ISRO Set To Launch US Satellite Bluebird Block-2 With Record Payload

Last Updated:December 23, 2025, 23:47 IST

The mission will place the Bluebird Block-2 satellite into orbit through a dedicated commercial launch from the second launch pad at the spaceport.

ISRO to launch US satellite Bluebird Block-2

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Tuesday said its heavy-lift launch vehicle LVM3-M6 is all set to lift off on Wednesday, carrying a next-generation US communication satellite from the space agency’s launch centre.

The 24-hour countdown for the mission commenced earlier in the day.

The mission will place the Bluebird Block-2 satellite into orbit through a dedicated commercial launch from the second launch pad at the spaceport. The liftoff is scheduled for 8.54 am, according to PTI.

About The Mission

Weighing around 6,100 kg, Bluebird Block-2 will become the heaviest payload ever deployed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by an LVM3 rocket.

The earlier record was held by the LVM3-M5 mission, which successfully launched a communication satellite weighing about 4,400 kg in November.

The launch is being carried out under a commercial arrangement between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, and US-based AST SpaceMobile.

The satellite is part of a planned LEO constellation aimed at delivering high-speed cellular broadband connectivity directly to standard smartphones across the globe.

AST SpaceMobile is building what it describes as the world’s first space-based cellular broadband network, enabling direct satellite-to-phone communication for both civilian and government users.

The network is designed to support 4G and 5G services, including voice calls, video, messaging, streaming and data access, even in remote or underserved regions.

Ahead of the mission, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan visited the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala on December 23 to offer prayers for the success of the launch.

About The Launch Vehicle

The LVM3, also known as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III, is a three-stage launch vehicle standing 43.5 metres tall.

It is powered by two S200 solid rocket boosters developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, along with a cryogenic upper stage engineered by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.

Following liftoff, the satellite is expected to separate from the launch vehicle approximately 15 minutes into the flight.

Bluebird Block-2 carries a 223-square-metre phased-array antenna, making it the largest commercial communications satellite ever deployed into LEO, at an altitude of about 600 km.

AST SpaceMobile had earlier launched five satellites, Bluebird 1 through 5, in September 2024, which currently provide coverage across parts of the United States and other regions.

The company plans further launches to expand its network and has partnerships with more than 50 mobile operators worldwide.

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