BlueBird Block-2, the largest commercial comms satellite for LEO to date, boasts a 223 sq m phased-array antenna to beam 4G/5G signals straight to unmodified smartphones.
India’s space agency delivered a festive triumph on Christmas Eve, executing a flawless LVM3 launch that propelled the heaviest foreign satellite ever from Indian soil into orbit.
The LVM3-M6 mission, dubbed “Bahubali” for its mighty 640-tonne liftoff mass, roared off the Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at precisely 08:54 IST on December 24, 2025.
Carrying AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird Block-2, a humongous 6.5-tonne communication satellite, this sixth operational flight marked Isro’s 101st orbital success and a commercial coup via NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
Millions tuned into the live stream, witnessing the three-stage behemoth, two S200 solid boosters, L110 liquid core, and C25 cryogenic upper, deploy the payload into a 520-600 km Low Earth Orbit without a hitch.
Isro chief in his post-launch address said, “This marks a new milestone for India, with the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil. LVM3 has continued its excellent track record, delivering an orbital performance with less than 2 km of dispersion, among the best in the global space arena.”
Revolutionary Payload Ushers Direct-to-Phone Broadband
BlueBird Block-2, the largest commercial comms satellite for LEO to date, boasts a 223 sq m phased-array antenna to beam 4G/5G signals straight to unmodified smartphones.
This direct-to-cell tech promises to connect remote Himalayas, vast oceans, and arid deserts, partnering with 50+ global mobile operators to bridge digital divides for billions.
US-based AST SpaceMobile hailed the deployment as a pivotal step in their constellation, rivaling Starlink with seamless broadband sans ground towers.
A miracle of precision engineering, LVM3 wraps up 2025 after Chandrayaan-3 and OneWeb batch launches in the past. Public galleries buzzed with cheers, as the rocket’s signature plume lit the Andhra Pradesh skies.