Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the successful take off of Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3)-M6, carrying BlueBird 6, calling it a "significant stride" in India's space sector.
India's Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3)-M6, carrying BlueBird 6, took off from Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota on Wednesday.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, "A significant stride in India's space sector… The successful LVM3-M6 launch, placing the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil, the spacecraft of USA, BlueBird Block-2, into its intended orbit, marks a proud milestone in India's space journey."
"It strengthens India's heavy-lift launch capability and reinforces our growing role in the global commercial launch market. This is also reflective of our efforts towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Congratulations to our hardworking space scientists and engineers. India continues to soar higher in the world of space!" he added.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh also congratulated ISRO for the successful launch.
In a post on X, Singh said, "Kudos Team ISRO for the successful launch of LVM3-M6 carrying BlueBird Block-2. With the visionary patronage of PM Sh Narendra Modi, ISRO continues to achieve one success after another, reiterating India's growing prowess in Space technology."
The communication satellite, weighing 6,100 kg, is the heaviest payload to be placed into the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in LVM3 launch history. The previous heaviest was the LVM3-M5 Communication Satellite 03, weighing about 4,400 kg, which was successfully launched by ISRO on November 2 in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
The satellite is part of the next generation of BlueBird Block-2 communication satellites, designed to provide space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to standard mobile smartphones.
This mission marks the 6th operational flight of the LVM3 launch vehicle. It also represents a significant leap in telecommunications technology, as the massive 6,100 kg payload is designed to provide high-speed 4G and 5G connectivity directly to smartphones.
The 43.5-meter-tall rocket, which is supported by two S200 solid boosters, lifted off at 8:55 a.m. following a 24-hour countdown from the second launch pad located approximately 135 km east of Chennai.
After approximately 15 minutes of flight, the spacecraft BlueBird Block-2, travelling on the rocket, is expected to separate and attain its designated orbit at an altitude of around 520 km, according to ISRO.
This mission is part of a commercial agreement established between NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), the commercial division of ISRO, and the US-based company AST SpaceMobile (AST and Science, LLC).
In the meantime, the LVM3-M6 will launch the BlueBird Block-2 satellite into Low Earth Orbit.
This satellite is the largest commercial communications satellite and will also be the heaviest payload ever launched by LVM3 from Indian soil.
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