ISRO launches heaviest-ever LVM3 payload with US communication satellite

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully launched its LVM3-M6 rocket carrying the United States’ next-generation BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite, marking the heaviest payload ever placed into low Earth orbit by the LVM3 launch vehicle.

VIDEO | ISRO's LVM3-M6 lifts off with BlueBird Block-2 satellite from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. The satellite is part of a next generation of BlueBird Block-2 communication satellites, designed to provide space-based cellular broadband connectivity… pic.twitter.com/MRXpCOhvBV

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 24, 2025

Weighing approximately 6,100 kg, the satellite surpassed ISRO’s previous payload record and was accurately inserted into its designated orbit shortly after liftoff, the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency said. The mission represents a significant milestone in ISRO’s commercial launch capabilities, particularly in handling high-mass satellites destined for low Earth orbit.

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The earlier record was held by the LVM3-M5 mission, which launched the Communication Satellite GSAT-03 weighing around 4,400 kg into geosynchronous transfer orbit in November. The latest launch highlights the growing versatility of ISRO’s heavy-lift rocket as it expands beyond government missions into international commercial partnerships.

The mission was conducted under a commercial agreement between NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, and US-based AST SpaceMobile. The BlueBird Block-2 satellite is designed to support AST SpaceMobile’s plans to deliver high-speed cellular broadband services directly to standard smartphones without the need for specialised ground equipment.

AST SpaceMobile is developing what it describes as the world’s first space-based cellular broadband network, intended for both commercial and government use. The successful deployment of the satellite strengthens India’s position as a reliable launch partner for global satellite operators and underscores ISRO’s expanding role in the international space economy.

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