ISRO launches heaviest satellite with successful LVM3-M6 mission

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday achieved a major milestone with the successful launch of the LVM3-M6 mission, which carried and precisely placed the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite into its designated low Earth orbit. The mission marks the launch of the heaviest satellite ever deployed by an Indian launch vehicle and underscores India’s advancing heavy-lift launch capabilities.

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The LVM3-M6 launch vehicle performed flawlessly, injecting the satellite accurately into orbit, Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, ISRO, Dr V. Narayanan said. He noted that this was the heaviest satellite launched from Indian soil using an indigenous launcher and the third fully commercial mission undertaken by the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Minister of State in the PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, congratulated Team ISRO on the success. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ISRO has continued to achieve successive milestones, strengthening India’s credibility and standing in the global space technology domain.

The BlueBird Block-2 satellite is part of a next-generation constellation aimed at providing space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to standard mobile smartphones without specialised user equipment. The mission was executed under a commercial agreement between NewSpace India Limited and US-based AST SpaceMobile, highlighting India’s growing role in the international commercial launch market.

With the successful LVM3-M6 mission, India has once again demonstrated its technological maturity in complex heavy-lift missions, reinforcing confidence in indigenous launch systems and further elevating the country’s stature in the global space arena, it further added.

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