Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 11: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for the December 15 launch of the 6.5-tonne BlueBird-6 satellite, one of the heaviest commercial payloads it has handled. Developed by US-based AST SpaceMobile, the communications satellite will be lifted into orbit aboard India’s most powerful rocket, the LVM3. The spacecraft, which arrived in India on October 19, is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite licensed in the United States.

AST SpaceMobile said the satellite will carry the largest commercial phased array ever deployed in LEO, spanning nearly 2,400 square feet—about 3.5 times the size of earlier BlueBird models and capable of delivering ten times more data capacity. The mission marks yet another milestone in India–US space cooperation.

This launch follows the successful July liftoff of NISAR, the $1.5-billion joint Earth-observation mission between NASA and ISRO. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan had highlighted NISAR as the costliest satellite ever realised globally, developed in partnership with NASA and JPL, and placed into orbit using India’s GSLV launcher. The 2,392-kg satellite is designed to provide high-resolution scans of Earth’s terrain and ice sheets every 12 days using advanced SweepSAR technology.

The upcoming BlueBird-6 mission is being executed by New Space India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm. The LVM3, a three-stage heavy-lift launch vehicle, has recently demonstrated its capabilities by deploying India’s 4.4-tonne CMS-3 satellite on November 2. Capable of carrying up to 8,000 kg to LEO and 4,000 kg to GTO, the LVM3 continues to enhance India’s standing in the global commercial launch market.