The Indian Space Research Organisation is preparing to launch one of its heaviest commercial payloads, the BlueBird-6 satellite, weighing 6.5 tons. The spacecraft, built by the Texas-based AST SpaceMobile, arrived in India from the United States on 19 October onboard the Antonov, the world’s largest cargo aircraft originally designed in Ukraine.

Following its arrival in Chennai, the satellite was transported to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota for a series of integration, fuelling and pre-flight tests ahead of its launch.

BlueBird-6 represents the next generation of communication satellites developed to deliver direct-to-device mobile broadband connectivity.

The spacecraft will operate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and is engineered to extend mobile coverage to remote and underserved regions, helping to close the global digital divide. When operational, it will enable seamless mobile and data services in areas lacking conventional terrestrial infrastructure.

ISRO will launch the satellite using its most powerful rocket, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), marking another major stride in India’s commercial space capabilities. The launch will be managed by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, which oversees international payload contracts and revenue generation for the government.

The mission window is currently projected between November 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, depending on readiness and favourable launch conditions.

BlueBird-6 is part of AST SpaceMobile’s broader constellation plan, which envisages a fleet of satellites—BlueBird-7 through BlueBird-16—slated for deployment over the next year. These satellites, each capable of delivering up to 10,000 MHz of bandwidth, will collectively form a global network providing comprehensive mobile data coverage.

The company intends to maintain an accelerated launch cadence of one satellite every one to two months between late 2025 and 2026, reinforcing its ambitions to lead in satellite-based cellular connectivity.

Agencies