ISRO successfully launches BlueBird Block-2 satellite from Sriharikota
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully launched the LVM3-M6 rocket, placing the United States’ BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite into its intended Low Earth Orbit, marking another milestone in India’s growing commercial space launch capabilities.
“Mission Success. The LVM3-M6 mission has successfully placed the BlueBird Block-2 satellite into its intended orbit,” ISRO said in a post on X.
Calling it a “significant stride in India’s space sector,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the mission marked a proud milestone in India’s space journey and strengthened the country’s heavy-lift launch capabilities.
“The successful LVM3-M6 launch, placing the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil – the spacecraft of the USA, BlueBird Block-2 – nto its intended orbit, reinforces India’s growing role in the global commercial launch market. This is also reflective of our efforts towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” PM Modi said in a post on X, congratulating ISRO’s scientists and engineers.
“Powered by India’s youth, our space programme is getting more advanced and impactful. With LVM3 demonstrating reliable heavy-lift performance, we are strengthening the foundations for future missions such as Gaganyaan, expanding commercial launch services and deepening global partnerships. This increased capability and boost to self-reliance are wonderful for the coming generations,” he added.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh also congratulated ISRO on the successful mission, saying, “Kudos Team ISRO for the successful launch of LVM3-M6 carrying BlueBird Block-2. With the visionary patronage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ISRO continues to achieve one success after another, reiterating India’s growing prowess in space technology.”
The LVM3-M6/BlueBird Block-2 mission is a dedicated commercial launch carried out using ISRO’s heavy-lift launch vehicle LVM3. The mission marked the sixth operational flight of the LVM3 rocket and involved the deployment of the BlueBird Block-2 satellite developed by US-based AST SpaceMobile.
Designed to provide space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to standard mobile smartphones, the BlueBird Block-2 spacecraft is part of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation satellite constellation. It is the largest commercial communications satellite to be deployed in Low Earth Orbit and also the heaviest payload launched by the LVM3 vehicle from Indian soil.
The LVM3 launch vehicle, developed by ISRO, is a three-stage rocket comprising two solid strap-on motors (S200), a liquid core stage (L110) and a cryogenic upper stage (C25). With a lift-off mass of 640 tonnes and a height of 43.5 metres, the vehicle is capable of carrying up to 4,200 kg to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
In earlier missions, the LVM3 has successfully launched flagship national programmes such as Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3, along with two OneWeb missions that placed 72 satellites into orbit. The previous LVM3 mission, LVM3-M5/CMS-03, was successfully completed on November 2, 2025.
The successful deployment of the BlueBird Block-2 satellite further strengthens ISRO’s position in the global commercial launch market and underscores India’s growing capabilities in heavy-lift and Low Earth Orbit satellite missions.
