Using its biggest rocket, India’s space agency successfully completed a major commercial launch on December 24, launching a next-generation US communications satellite into low Earth orbit and advancing worldwide satellite-based mobile broadband. At 8:55 a.m., the Indian Space Research Organization launched the BlueBird Block-2 satellite on the LVM3-M6 mission from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, which is located about 135 kilometers east of Chennai. After a 24-hour countdown, the launch took place.
Powered by two S200 solid strap-on boosters, the 43.5-meter-tall LVM3 rocket took off cleanly and finished its powered flight in roughly fifteen minutes. At an altitude of about 520 kilometers, ISRO predicts that the satellite will detach from the launch vehicle and reach its assigned circular orbit. The mission is being carried out under a commercial deal between US-based satellite manufacturer AST SpaceMobile and ISRO’s commercial division, NewSpace India Ltd. (NSIL). The satellite is a component of the low-Earth orbit constellation of AST SpaceMobile, which is intended to provide direct-to-mobile communication from space.
For upcoming space-based mobile networks, BlueBird Block-2 is seen as a crucial technological demonstrator. Without the requirement for specialized ground equipment, the satellite is built to provide 4G and 5G voice calls, video calls, messaging, streaming, and data services directly on regular mobile phones. The largest commercial communications satellite in low Earth orbit to date is BlueBird Block-2, which boasts a gigantic 223 square meter phased-array antenna. The constellation is designed to provide near-global coverage at heights of about 600 km.
According to ISRO officials, in order to guarantee accurate orbital insertion, the launch time was changed from 8:54 am to 8:55 am. The liftoff was originally scheduled for later in the day; however, in order to maximize mission parameters, timings were gradually accelerated. The successful launch demonstrates ISRO’s expanding role in the global satellite communications market and solidifies India’s standing as a dependable supplier of heavy-lift commercial launch services.
