What is the story about?
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the LVM3-M6 mission on Wednesday, December 24, carrying the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite of US-based AST SpaceMobile, marking a major milestone in India’s commercial launch programme.
ISRO's LVM3-M6 vehicle took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, at 8:55 am.
The mission represents the sixth operational flight of ISRO’s heavy-lift LVM3 rocket and is being conducted as a dedicated commercial launch. The 24-hour countdown for the mission had begun on Tuesday, December 23.
Heaviest payload deployed into LEO by LVM3
Weighing approximately 6,100 kg, BlueBird Block-2 became the heaviest payload placed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by the LVM3 launch vehicle, surpassing the previous record of around 4,400 kg set during the LVM3-M5/CMS-03 mission in November.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan stated that the satellite was successfully injected into LEO roughly 15 minutes after liftoff. The mission is being undertaken under a commercial agreement between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, and AST SpaceMobile.
What is BlueBird Block-2 satellite
BlueBird Block-2 is part of a next-generation constellation aimed at enabling space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to standard smartphones, as per ISRO.
The satellite carries a 223-square-metre phased-array antenna, making it the largest commercial communications satellite deployed in Low Earth Orbit, at an altitude of about 600 km.
The constellation is intended to support 4G and 5G services, including voice, video, messaging and data, particularly in remote and underserved regions, as per PTI.
AST SpaceMobile had earlier launched five BlueBird satellites in September 2024 to provide coverage across parts of the United States and select other regions.
About the LVM3 launch vehicle
According to ISRO, the 43.5-metre-tall LVM3, also known as Gaganyaan’s human-rated launcher, is a three-stage vehicle comprising two S200 solid strap-on boosters, a liquid core stage, and a cryogenic upper stage.
The rocket has previously launched missions such as Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3 and multiple OneWeb satellite batches.
Ahead of the launch, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan offered prayers at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala on December 23, as per PTI.
ISRO's LVM3-M6 vehicle took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, at 8:55 am.
The mission represents the sixth operational flight of ISRO’s heavy-lift LVM3 rocket and is being conducted as a dedicated commercial launch. The 24-hour countdown for the mission had begun on Tuesday, December 23.
#WATCH | Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh | ISRO's LVM3 M6 mission lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, carrying the BlueBird Block-2 satellite into
orbit, as part of a commercial deal with U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile.
The mission will deploy the next-generation… pic.twitter.com/VceVBLOU5n
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2025
Heaviest payload deployed into LEO by LVM3
Weighing approximately 6,100 kg, BlueBird Block-2 became the heaviest payload placed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by the LVM3 launch vehicle, surpassing the previous record of around 4,400 kg set during the LVM3-M5/CMS-03 mission in November.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan stated that the satellite was successfully injected into LEO roughly 15 minutes after liftoff. The mission is being undertaken under a commercial agreement between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, and AST SpaceMobile.
#WATCH | BlueBird Block-2 satellite has been separated and successfully placed in Orbit. With this, the mission has been successfully completed.
Source: Source: ISRO/ YouTube pic.twitter.com/bGRjX39Ek5
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2025
What is BlueBird Block-2 satellite
BlueBird Block-2 is part of a next-generation constellation aimed at enabling space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to standard smartphones, as per ISRO.
The satellite carries a 223-square-metre phased-array antenna, making it the largest commercial communications satellite deployed in Low Earth Orbit, at an altitude of about 600 km.
The constellation is intended to support 4G and 5G services, including voice, video, messaging and data, particularly in remote and underserved regions, as per PTI.
AST SpaceMobile had earlier launched five BlueBird satellites in September 2024 to provide coverage across parts of the United States and select other regions.
About the LVM3 launch vehicle
According to ISRO, the 43.5-metre-tall LVM3, also known as Gaganyaan’s human-rated launcher, is a three-stage vehicle comprising two S200 solid strap-on boosters, a liquid core stage, and a cryogenic upper stage.
The rocket has previously launched missions such as Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3 and multiple OneWeb satellite batches.
Ahead of the launch, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan offered prayers at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala on December 23, as per PTI.
