The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a major milestone on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, by successfully launching the BlueBird Block-2 communications satellite aboard its heavy-lift LVM3-M6 (“Baahubali”) rocket. The launch took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, marking a landmark moment for India’s space programme.
The 6,100-kilogram BlueBird Block-2, built for the U.S. company AST SpaceMobile, is now the heaviest satellite ever placed into orbit by an ISRO launcher — surpassing previous payload records for the LVM3 series. Lift-off occurred at 8:55 AM IST, and the satellite was successfully inserted into its intended low Earth orbit in a mission lasting about 15 minutes. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan hailed the launch as a significant achievement in the country’s commercial and global space capabilities.
The BlueBird Block-2 spacecraft is designed to provide direct space-based cellular broadband connectivity — including 4G and 5G services — to standard mobile phones, helping expand network availability across remote and underserved regions worldwide.
This mission underscores ISRO’s growing reputation as a reliable provider of heavy-lift commercial launch services and reflects strong collaboration between Indian space infrastructure and international partners.
