India's space agency, ISRO, is preparing to launch the heaviest American commercial satellite it has ever carried, the 6.5-tonne BlueBird-6, on 15 December from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

This mission underscores deepening Indo-US space collaboration, with ISRO's reliable LVM3 rocket—nicknamed 'Bahubali' for its power—deploying the satellite into low Earth orbit. The launch falls under New Space India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm, which recently orbited India's own 4.4-tonne CMS-3 satellite on 2 November.​

BlueBird-6 belongs to AST SpaceMobile, a Texas-based firm pioneering space-based cellular broadband networks. As the first 'Block-2' satellite in its series, it boasts the largest commercial phased array antenna in low Earth orbit, spanning nearly 2,400 square feet—3.5 times larger than predecessors BlueBirds 1-5 and offering tenfold data capacity. Each satellite can handle up to 10,000 MHz of bandwidth, partnering with mobile carriers to deliver direct-to-device services using licensed spectrum.​

The satellite arrived in India from the US on 19 October, underwent road transport to Sriharikota, and completed integration, fuelling, and checks with the LVM3 launcher.

This Block-2 model advances AST SpaceMobile's constellation plans through 2026, targeting non-continuous service to bridge digital divides in underserved areas. By providing fast broadband where terrestrial networks falter, it promises unhindered connectivity for remote regions.​

The LVM3, a three-stage vehicle, lifts payloads up to 8,000 kg to low Earth orbit or 4,000 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit, proving its versatility. A human-rated variant will support India's Gaganyaan crewed mission in 2027. This follows other US collaborations, like the NISAR Earth-observation satellite launched in July.​

For defence and aerospace enthusiasts tracking indigenous capabilities, the mission highlights NSIL's revenue generation from global contracts, bolstering India's launch infrastructure amid growing private sector ties. AST SpaceMobile becomes the second US firm after Eutelsat OneWeb to use LVM3 commercially. The 15 December lift-off marks a milestone in reliable, high-payload launches from India.​

Based On UNI Report