Following the success of the NISAR Earth-observation mission on July 30, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan announced that India will launch a hefty 6,500 kg U.S.-built communication satellite Block-2 BlueBird within the next few months. This mission demonstrates India’s evolving capability to deploy heavyweight, sophisticated payloads for global space partners.

Developed by AST SpaceMobile, BlueBird will be launched aboard the LVM3 (formerly GSLV-Mk III) rocket from Sriharikota.  Equipped with a massive (~64 m²) antenna array, it is designed to enable direct-to-smartphone communications and 5G broadband in low Earth orbit bringing connectivity to remote and underserved regions.

Although its delivery faced a delay, the mission is now back on track, slated for launch within three to four months.

This landmark venture not only reinforces ISRO’s rising prominence in global space commerce but also strengthens Indo-US strategic partnerships in space technology. It marks a new era of cost-effective, reliable international space collaboration rooted in shared technical excellence and ambition.