India’s ‘Bahubali’ LVM3 launches heaviest US satellite BlueBird-6

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), Dec 24: India’s heavy-lift launch vehicle LVM3, popularly known as ‘Bahubali’, on Wednesday successfully launched and precisely placed the US-based AST SpaceMobile’s advanced communication satellite BlueBird-6 into a Low Earth Orbit (LEO), marking a major milestone in India’s commercial space capabilities.

After a smooth 24-hour countdown, the 43.5-metre-tall, 640-tonne LVM3 rocket lifted off majestically from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR here at about 0855 hrs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the successful launch, terming it a “proud milestone” in India’s space journey.

“A significant stride in India’s space sector. The successful LVM3 launch, placing the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil, the spacecraft of the USA, BlueBird Block-2, into its intended orbit, marks a proud milestone in India’s space journey,” Modi said in a post on X.

The launch was briefly delayed by about 90 seconds from the scheduled 0854 hrs as a routine precaution, generally undertaken to avoid possible space debris interference.

Following the initiation of the Automatic Launch Sequence 15 minutes prior to liftoff, the rocket ascended right on time, belching bright orange plumes.

About 16 minutes into its flight, the LVM3 successfully injected the 6.1-ton BlueBird-6 (BlueBird Block-2) satellite into a 520-km circular LEO. In a post on X, ISRO said: “Liftoff! #LVM3M6 launches the BlueBird Block-2 spacecraft from SDSC SHAR.”

Addressing scientists from the Mission Control Centre, ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, Dr V. Narayanan, announced that the US satellite had been successfully and precisely placed into its intended orbit. “This is a great achievement. All the vehicle parameters performed normally.

“This is the second LVM3 mission in a short span of 52 days,” he said, congratulating the entire ISRO team. He added that this was the third commercial mission of LVM3 and the first involving a satellite from US-based AST SpaceMobile, thanking the company for reposing confidence in Indian launch capabilities.“We have lined up more launches in the coming days,” he said.

Scientists at the Mission Control Centre, including former ISRO chairmen, senior ISRO officials, and representatives from AST SpaceMobile, closely monitored the flight with bated breath as real-time data streamed in. LVM3-M6 marked the sixth operational flight of the LVM3 and maintained its impeccable record of eight consecutive successful missions. ISRO said the mission carried the heaviest payload ever launched from Indian soil into LEO, weighing 6,100 kg.

“LVM3 is the operational heavy-lift launch vehicle. LVM3-M6 is its sixth operational flight and third dedicated commercial mission,” ISRO said.

The mission was undertaken as part of a commercial agreement between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Department of Space, and AST SpaceMobile LLC, USA. BlueBird-6 is part of AST SpaceMobile’s global LEO constellation designed to provide direct-to-mobile connectivity, enabling 4G and 5G voice and video calls, messaging, streaming, and data services anywhere in the world.

The satellite features a massive 223-square-metre phased array, making it the largest commercial communications satellite ever deployed into LEO.

AST SpaceMobile describes its network as the world’s first space-based cellular broadband system designed to connect directly with standard smartphones for both commercial and government users.

Founder, Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan had earlier said the next-generation satellites would enable ubiquitous cellular broadband from space. The company plans to deploy 45–60 satellites by the end of 2026.

LVM3, formerly known as GSLV Mk III, is nicknamed ‘Bahubali’, a name originally coined by Telugu media, drawing inspiration from the blockbuster film Bahubali, in which the hero effortlessly lifts a massive lingam, symbolising strength.

On Wednesday, the nickname appeared to receive informal official recognition when Dr Narayanan referred to the vehicle as the “LVM3 Bahubali rocket” while announcing mission success.

The three-stage LVM3 consists of two S200 solid strap-on boosters, an L110 liquid core stage, and a C25 cryogenic upper stage. It can currently lift about 10 tonnes to LEO and 4 tonnes to GTO, with efforts underway to enhance its GTO capacity.

With this mission, AST SpaceMobile becomes the second satellite broadband customer to fly on LVM3, after Eutelsat OneWeb, which launched 72 satellites using the vehicle in 2022 and 2023.

The successful BlueBird-6 launch further cements India’s position as a reliable global player in the commercial heavy-lift launch market.

The BlueBird 6 also has two Indian connections — Shanti Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, and Sriram Jayasimha, Chief Scientist of Commercial Applications.

As AST SpaceMobile’s COO, Gupta, an Alumnus of Sri Ram College, Delhi oversees the company’s global operations, including supply chain, planning, cost management, information technology, and human resource operations.

Jayasimha earned his B.Tech and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA.

He brings a 30-year successful track record of IP creation and product design for the global telecommunications markets.

According to AST SpaceMobile, Sriram has authored 42 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications in an array of digital-signal-processing applications, including: mobility, satellite communications, modem, VLSI and instrumentation signal processing.