ISRO to launch BlueBird Block-2 satellite of US' AST SpaceMobile on Dec 24
New Delhi, December 23
The launch of the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite of the United States' AST SpaceMobile will take place on December 24 at 8:54 AM IST, the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said.
ISRO stated that the LVM3-M6/BlueBird Block-2 Mission is a dedicated commercial mission onboard the LVM3 launch vehicle, which will launch the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite of AST SpaceMobile, USA. This mission marks the sixth operational flight of LVM3.
In this mission, LVM3-M6 will place the BlueBird Block-2 satellite into Low Earth Orbit, which is the largest commercial communications satellite to be deployed in Low Earth Orbit. It will also be the heaviest payload to be launched by LVM3 from Indian soil.
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.
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.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is fantastic. Space-based cellular broadband directly to smartphones could be a game-changer for remote areas in India, especially in the Northeast and Ladakh. Hope ISRO and Indian telecom companies can collaborate on similar tech for our rural connectivity goals.
While I'm proud of ISRO's commercial success, a part of me wonders if we are focusing too much on being a 'launch service provider' for others. I wish we were also building and owning more of these advanced communication satellite constellations ourselves. Just a thought.
The engineering details are impressive. A 640-tonne vehicle placing the heaviest commercial payload yet from India. The fact that it's the same rocket that took Chandrayaan-3 to the Moon makes it even more special. ISRO's cost-effectiveness is their superpower.
Launch at 8:54 AM on Christmas Eve! Setting a reminder to watch the live stream on YouTube. Hope the weather holds up. Nothing beats the sight of that LVM3 roaring into the sky from Sriharikota. Jai Hind!
Direct smartphone connectivity from space sounds like sci-fi becoming real. But what about the costs for the end user? In a price-sensitive market like India, will this service ever be affordable for the common person, or will it remain a luxury?
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.