Commercial Arm of ISRO takes Giant Leap To Launch US Satellite in May

India’s LVM3 rocket is gearing up for a major mission this May. It will place a six-ton American satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The satellite is named Block 2 BlueBird. It belongs to AST SpaceMobile. The company is based in the US and is working on building a global cellular broadband network from space. 

According to D. Radhakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL). It is the commercial branch of the Indian Department of Space. Preparations are well underway for this significant launch. Radhakrishnan confirmed that the LVM3 rocket will deploy one Block 2 BlueBird satellite into Low Earth Orbit. The mission is scheduled for May. He also mentioned that discussions are ongoing for the launch of additional satellites for AST SpaceMobile. The company plans to establish a constellation of around 50 satellites in total. 

This mission will mark the second time that LVM3 has been used for commercial satellite broadband services from international customers. Previously, between 2022 and 2023, Europe’s Eutelsat OneWeb utilized two LVM3 rockets to successfully place 72 satellites into orbit. 

First Space-based Global Cellular Broadband Network

AST SpaceMobile’s ambitious project aims to create the first space-based global cellular broadband network. This network is capable of connecting directly to mobile devices. Their plans involve launching satellites aboard different rockets to complete their constellation. 

Meanwhile, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is actively preparing the LVM3 rocket for this upcoming mission. In a recent milestone, ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan officially flagged off the rocket’s cryogenic upper stage from the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Tamil Nadu. 

In addition to this high-profile collaboration, NSIL has secured other launch agreements. Radhakrishnan noted that contracts have been signed for future launches using India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in 2026–2027. There are also contracts for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). The SSLV will carry Space Machines Company’s second Optimus spacecraft. It weighs 450 kg and will be the largest spacecraft ever designed and built in Australia.