The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro) LVM3-M6 rocket successfully placed a heavy US communication satellite into orbit on Wednesday. As India steps up its space aspirations, Banasree Purkayastha explains how this reinforces Isro’s position in the global commercial launch market
l What is the LVM3-BlueBird launch?
THE INDIAN SPACE Research Organisation (Isro) launched its LVM3 rocket from the Sriharikota base on Wednesday carrying its heaviest-ever payload—the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite of US’s AST SpaceMobile—and successfully placing it in the intended Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The LVM3-M6 / BlueBird Block-2 Mission is a dedicated commercial mission onboard the LVM3 launch vehicle, and marks the sixth operational flight of LVM3. The near-6,100 kg satellite is part of a next generation of BlueBird Block-2 communication satellites, designed to provide space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to standard mobile smartphones.
LEO is an orbit that is closer to the earth’s surface, around 520 km. Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 8.55 am, the mission was completed within 15 minutes. The earlier record was held by the CMS-03 communication satellite, weighing about 4,400 kg, which was placed into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit on November 2 by LVM3.
l What makes LVM3 stand out?
LVM3 IS THE operational heavy-lift launch vehicle of Isro and has completed eight consecutive successful missions. It is a three-stage launch vehicle comprising two solid strap-on motors (S200), a liquid core stage (L110), and a cryogenic upper stage (C25). It has a lift-off mass of 640 tonne, a height of 43.5 m, and a payload capability of 4,200 kg to GTO, making it Isro’s most powerful operational rocket.
In its earlier missions, LVM3 successfully launched Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and two OneWeb missions carrying 72 satellites. The last launch of LVM3 was the LVM3-M5/CMS-03 mission, that was successfully accomplished on November 2, 2025. A modified version of the LVM-3 rocket will also be used in the Gaganyaan missions.
l Making Isro the top choice for launches
WITH THIS, Isro has helped launch 434 foreign satellites into space, reinforcing its growing role in the global commercial launch market. Each mission reflects India’s growing technological maturity and precision engineering, as well as Isro’s advancement in technical and commercial capabilities.
“This being the ninth successful mission in a row and the third commercial flight, makes me confident of the future potential of LVM3 for large scale production and commercialisation,” former Isro chairman S Somenath posted on X. The latest mission is being undertaken as part of the commercial agreement between Isro’s commercial arm NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) and AST SpaceMobile.
Mylswamy Annadurai, former director at the Isro Satellite Centre said the success indicated that Isro is at par with the best in the world. “The possibility now exists that we can launch commercial satellites successfully within a month or 15 days,” he added. “The fact that we are attracting US-based companies like AST shows improved reliability and cost-effectiveness,” he said.
l Objective of the BlueBird satellite
BLUEBIRD BLOCK-2 MISSION is part of a global LEO constellation to provide direct-to-mobile connectivity through satellite. This constellation will enable 4G and 5G voice and video calls, texts, streaming, and data for everyone, everywhere, at all times. It features a 223-square meter phased array, making BlueBird 6 the largest commercial communications satellite ever deployed into LEO. “We are now in control of BlueBird 6 from our DC command center and with nominal telemetry,” AST SpaceMobile Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan posted on X, after the successful launch. The mission marks the start of the American company’s next phase of execution, with plans to launch 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026. AST SpaceMobile had announced a pact with Vodafone earlier in June this year to expand mobile connectivity across India’s remote regions.
l Fillip for commercialising space activity
THE MILESTONE UNDERSCORES India’s ambitions to expand its share of the $400-billion global space market, and specifically Isro’s commercial push. A major focus of NSIL is the production and marketing of space-based services, including launch services and space-based applications. In January, Isro successfully conducted unmanned space docking by joining together two small satellites in space. Recently, Isro, along with Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and NSIL, inked a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics for the production of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), which will augment India’s capacity to meet rising satellite launch demand. A third launch pad is being constructed at Sriharikota that can support next-generation launch vehicles and LVM3 vehicles.