India's heavy-lift rocket, LVM3, successfully launched the US communications satellite BlueBird Block-2 into low Earth orbit on Wednesday morning. Weighing 6,100 kg, this marked the heaviest payload carried by the rocket, which completed its sixth operational flight and third dedicated commercial mission.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan stated that the LVM3 rocket reached an orbit of 518.5 km, slightly below the intended 520 km orbit. "This is the heaviest satellite to be launched by an Indian launcher in Indian soil. This is also the first back to back LVM3 launch missions within a period of 52days. With this, Isro has placed 434 satellites for 34 countries."
The rocket, standing 43.5 meters tall and weighing 640 tonnes, launched from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Approximately 16 minutes post-launch, BlueBird Block-2 was placed into a circular orbit at an altitude of about 520 kilometers with a 53-degree inclination.
The LVM3-M6 mission was executed through a commercial agreement between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), Isro's commercial arm, and the American firm AST & Science LLC. The BlueBird Block-2 is part of a global low Earth orbit constellation aimed at offering direct satellite connections to mobile devices.
According to the mission specifics, the satellite features a 223 square meter phased-array antenna, making it the largest commercial communications satellite deployed into low Earth orbit. The satellite network aims to enable 4G and 5G voice and video calls, video streaming, text messaging, and data services directly on regular mobile phones, removing the necessity for specialized ground equipment.
