This mission, which was the first dedicated commercial launch for US-based AST SpaceMobile, also marked the 104th launch from Sriharikota and the 9th successful flight of the LVM-3 launch vehicle
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully launched the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite. PIC/ AFP
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan on Wednesday lauded the successful launch of the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite, describing it as the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil using an Indian rocket.
He said the satellite was accurately placed into its designated orbit, calling the mission a major milestone for ISRO, reported news agency ANI.
During his speech, V Narayanan said, "Launch vehicle has successfully and precisely injected the BlueBird Block 2 communication satellite in the intended orbit. This is the first dedicated commercial launch for a customer from the USA, that is AST SpaceMobile... This is our 104th launch from Sriharikota, also the 9th successful mission of the LVM-3 launch vehicle, demonstrating its 100 per cent reliability... "
This mission, which was the first dedicated commercial launch for US-based AST SpaceMobile, also marked the 104th launch from Sriharikota and the 9th successful flight of the LVM-3 launch vehicle.
"This is a back-to-back mission of the LVM-3 in just 52 days... This is the heaviest satellite ever lifted from Indian soil using an Indian launcher. This is also the third fully commercial mission of LVM-3 and the vehicle has demonstrated its excellent track record," he said, reported ANI.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully launched the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite of US-based AST SpaceMobile, marking another major milestone for India’s space programme.
The satellite was precisely placed into its designated orbit, following which the mission was declared a success. The launch took place at 8:55 am IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
The mission carries a next-generation communication satellite designed to deliver high-speed cellular broadband directly to smartphones across the globe. Notably, BlueBird Block-2 is the heaviest payload ever launched into Low Earth Orbit by ISRO’s LVM3 rocket, underscoring the growing capabilities of India’s heavy-lift launch systems.
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, ISRO said, reported ANI.
LVM3, developed by ISRO, is a three-stage launch vehicle comprising two solid strap-on motors (S200), a liquid core stage (L110), and a cryogenic upper stage (C25). It has a lift-off mass of 640 tonnes, a height of 43.5 meters, and a payload capability of 4,200 kg to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
In its earlier missions, LVM3 successfully launched Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and two OneWeb missions carrying 72 satellites. The previous launch of LVM3 was the LVM3-M5/CMS-03 mission, which was successfully accomplished on November 2 this year.
AST SpaceMobile, as per its website, is building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications.
According to AST SpaceMobile, its BlueBird satellites provide broadband directly to standard smartphones without specialised hardware or phone modifications, allowing users to make video calls, browse the web, and use 4G and 5G internet speeds from anywhere on Earth.
(With ANI inputs)
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