THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Sriharikota, Dec 24: ISRO on Wednesday achieved another major milestone as its heavy-lift launch vehicle LVM3 successfully carried the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite into Low Earth Orbit, completing the mission with full success.
The launch, conducted at 8:55 am IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, marked the sixth operational flight of the LVM3 rocket.
The mission was undertaken as a dedicated commercial launch for AST SpaceMobile, with ISRO confirming that the satellite was accurately injected into its intended orbit.
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BlueBird Block-2 is the largest commercial communications satellite ever deployed in Low Earth Orbit and also represents the heaviest payload launched by LVM3 from Indian soil.
Designed as a next-generation platform, the BlueBird Block-2 satellite aims to deliver high-speed cellular broadband services directly to standard smartphones across the globe, significantly expanding mobile connectivity without the need for ground-based infrastructure.
According to ISRO, the LVM3-M6 mission underscores the growing capability of India’s launch services in handling complex and high-mass commercial payloads. The LVM3 is a three-stage launch vehicle featuring twin S200 solid strap-on boosters, a liquid-propelled L110 core stage, and a C25 cryogenic upper stage.
Standing 43.5 metres tall with a lift-off mass of 640 tonnes, the LVM3 is capable of placing up to 4,200 kg into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, making it ISRO’s most powerful operational rocket.
