ISRO’s LVM3 Launches Heaviest Payload Successfully
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Tuesday successfully launched the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite aboard its LVM3-M6 heavy-lift rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The mission marked the heaviest payload ever carried by India’s LVM3 launch vehicle, also popularly known as the Baahubali rocket.
Mission details and launch profile
The LVM3-M6 lifted off in the morning hours and placed the BlueBird Block-2 satellite into a low Earth orbit approximately 15 minutes after launch. The satellite weighs about 6.1 tonnes, making it the largest and heaviest spacecraft launched by ISRO to date. This was the sixth operational mission of the LVM3 rocket, further strengthening its reliability as India’s primary heavy-lift launch system.
About the BlueBird Block-2 satellite
BlueBird Block-2 is a commercial communication satellite developed by US-based company AST SpaceMobile. The satellite is designed to enable space-based broadband connectivity directly to standard mobile phones, without the need for specialised ground equipment. The technology is aimed at improving mobile coverage in remote and underserved regions across the world.
Significance for ISRO
The successful mission highlights ISRO’s growing role in the global commercial launch market, particularly for high-mass payloads. The LVM3 vehicle has previously been used for critical missions, including India’s human spaceflight programme, and this launch further demonstrates its versatility and capacity.
Official response
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO scientists and engineers on the successful mission, describing it as a major achievement for India’s space sector and a boost to international confidence in Indian launch services.
