ISRO to Launch 6.5-Tonne BlueBird-6 US Satellite on December 15

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to launch the 6.5-tonne BlueBird-6 communications satellite of the US on December 15 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The satellite, developed by US-based AST SpaceMobile, will be carried aboard India’s most powerful rocket, the LVM3.

BlueBird-6 is among the heaviest commercial satellites ever launched, weighing 6.5 tonnes. The Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite arrived in India from the US on October 19 in preparation for the launch. AST SpaceMobile stated that the satellite will feature “the largest commercial phased array in low Earth orbit, spanning nearly 2,400 square feet.” This is a 3.5-fold increase in size compared to BlueBirds 1-5 and will support ten times the data capacity.

This launch marks the second major collaboration between ISRO and the US. Earlier this year, in July, ISRO successfully launched the $1.5 billion NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Mission (NISAR), designed to capture high-resolution scans of Earth. The NISAR satellite can penetrate through fog, dense clouds, and ice layers, making it one of the most advanced Earth observation satellites in operation.

“NISAR, launched on July 30, was jointly realised by NASA, JPL, and ISRO. It was the costliest satellite ever built globally and was perfectly placed in orbit by the Indian GSLV launcher,” ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan had shared after the launch. Weighing 2,392 kilograms, NISAR is capable of scanning Earth’s landmass and ice-covered surfaces every 12 days using SweepSAR technology, covering a 242-kilometre swath with high-resolution imagery.

BlueBird-6’s launch is being managed by New Space India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm. The satellite follows the successful November 2 launch of India’s heaviest CMS-3 satellite, weighing 4.4 tonnes, also carried into orbit by the LVM3 rocket.

The LVM3, a three-stage launch vehicle, is India’s most capable launcher, able to carry payloads of up to 8,000 kg to low-Earth orbit and 4,000 kg to geosynchronous transfer orbit. Its performance in recent missions, including heavy commercial satellites, underscores India’s growing capability in handling large-scale space payloads for both domestic and international clients.

With the launch of BlueBird-6, India’s commercial space sector is expected to further strengthen its global footprint, showcasing the country’s reliability in deploying high-mass, technologically advanced satellites for international partners.

Team Maverick