The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) most powerful rocket, LVM-3, popularly known as ‘Bahubali’, has successfully launched the American satellite BlueBird Block-2 into space. The mission was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

Originally scheduled for launch at 8:54 a.m., the mission experienced a delay of 90 seconds. ISRO stated that the delay was due to safety considerations arising from the possibility of space debris or a potential collision with other satellites along the flight path.

According to ISRO, LVM-3M6 marks the sixth successful operational flight of the LVM-3 rocket. Around 15 minutes after liftoff, the BlueBird Block-2 satellite is expected to separate from the launch vehicle and be placed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Weighing approximately 6,100 kilograms, BlueBird Block-2 is the heaviest payload ever launched into LEO by an LVM-3 rocket. The previous record was held by the CMS-03 satellite, launched under the LVM-3-M5 mission.

The mission is being conducted under a commercial agreement between ISRO’s commercial arm, New Space India Limited (NSIL), and the US-based company AST SpaceMobile.

BlueBird Block-2 has been designed to provide high-speed cellular broadband services directly to smartphones worldwide via satellite. The system will support 4G and 5G voice and video calls, messaging, streaming, and data services from anywhere on the globe.

Notably, ahead of this important mission, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan offered prayers at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.