India made history on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its heaviest rocket yet, carrying a foreign communication satellite. The mission saw the BlueBird Block-2 satellite from the United States lifted into space by ISRO’s large launch vehicle, the LVM3-M6, which is popularly called the ‘Bahubali’ rocket.

The launch occurred in the morning after a full 24-hour countdown at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. At 8.55 am, the 43.5-metre-tall rocket rose off the launch pad, marking a big achievement for India’s space programme.

Soon after the successful launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO scientists and hailed the mission as a major achievement for the country’s growing space sector.

In a message shared during the live updates, the Prime Minister said the successful launch of the LVM3-M6 mission was a “significant stride for India’s space sector”. He praised the dedication and hard work of ISRO scientists and said the mission reflected India’s rising capabilities in advanced space technology and global commercial launches.

This mission was conducted under a commercial agreement between ISRO’s commercial arm, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), and a U.S. company, AST SpaceMobile. The satellite on board — BlueBird Block-2 — was built by AST SpaceMobile and is designed to provide advanced communication services.

Officials explained that this launch was very important for India’s space efforts because BlueBird Block-2 is the heaviest payload ever carried by the LVM3 rocket into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The weight of the satellite made this mission a first of its kind for the rocket.  As the rocket took off, two S200 solid boosters helped push the vehicle into the sky. These boosters, along with the rocket’s core and upper stages, worked together to make the mission successful.

Around 15 minutes after liftoff, the BlueBird Block-2 satellite successfully separated from the rocket and was injected into the designated orbit about 520 kilometres above Earth’s surface. Officials at ISRO confirmed that the satellite reached its intended position and the mission was declared a success.

“The mission has been successful, and the satellite is now in its intended orbit,” said an ISRO official. This marked a proud moment for the organisation and its partners.

The LVM3-M6 — known informally as the Bahubali rocket — is one of India’s most powerful space launch vehicles. Previously, this rocket has been used for major missions like Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3, and commercial OneWeb satellite launches. ISRO said that this mission is the sixth operational flight of this rocket type. With the success of this launch, the organisation has shown its growing strength in heavy-lift space missions.

Officials remarked that the mission highlights ISRO’s increasing role in the international commercial launch market. By successfully launching a foreign satellite under a commercial contract, India is strengthening its position as a reliable partner in global space technology.

The BlueBird Block-2 satellite is part of a project by US-based AST SpaceMobile, which plans to build a network of satellites that can facilitate direct communication to mobile phones and devices from space.

Once systems become active, the satellite will roll out advanced connectivity services, including voice calls, messaging, and data, to areas that are hard to reach with traditional ground-based networks.

Officials from AST SpaceMobile announced that this satellite will play a key role in expanding global communication services and support both commercial and potentially government communication needs.

The launch is a major milestone for ISRO as it demonstrates the capability to handle heavier and more complex payload missions. With this success, India joins a small group of countries whose rockets can lift such large satellites into orbit.

In a statement after the launch, an ISRO representative said, “This successful mission highlights our technical capability and strengthens India’s presence in global space launches.”

The BlueBird Block-2 mission is a major achievement for India’s space programme. It not only broke records by launching the heaviest satellite yet on the LVM3 rocket but also continued India’s journey of becoming a key player in the world’s commercial launch services.