Launches / LVM-3

Past launch Launched successfully

BlueBird 6 (Block 2 #1)

LVM-3, flown by Indian Space Research Organization

LVM-3 lifting off with the BlueBird 6 (Block 2 #1) mission
Image via The Space Devs.

This was Indian Space Research Organization's 5th launch of 2025, and its 98th in all.

Counting every operator, it was the 318th orbital launch attempt anywhere in 2025, and the fourth from Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad.

Launched
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, 3:25 a.m. UTC
Window
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, 2:50 to 6:50 a.m. UTC
Launch site
Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India
Rocket
Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (GSLV Mk III)
Operator
Indian Space Research Organization

Watch the webcast →

The mission

AST SpaceMobile’s Block 2 BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird Block 1 satellites, required to achieve 24/7 continuous cellular broadband service coverage in the United States, with beams designed to support a capacity of up to 40 MHz, enabling peak data transmission speeds up to 120 Mbps, supporting voice, full data and video applications. The Block 2 BlueBirds, featuring as large as 2400 square foot communications arrays, will be the largest satellites ever commercially deployed in Low Earth orbit once launched. This launch will feature a single satellite.

Type
Communications
Destination
Low Earth orbit

The rocket

The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3), previously called Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III), is a three-stage medium-lift launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is designed to launch satellites into geostationary orbit, and is intended as a launch vehicle for crewed missions under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.

Height
43.4 m
Built by
Indian Space Research Organization
First flew
December 18, 2014
Lifts to low Earth orbit
10,000 kg
View 4 specifications Show less
Lifts to geostationary transfer
5,000 kg
Diameter
4 m
Mass at liftoff
629 t
Thrust at liftoff
11,898 kN

9 flights, 9 of them successful.

Wikipedia →

The operator

Indian Space Research Organization

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the space agency of the Government of India headquartered in the city of Bangalore. Its vision is to "harness space technology for national development while pursuing space science research and planetary exploration."

Sector
Government
Based in
India
Founded
1969
Run by
V. Narayanan, Chairman

99 launches so far, 84 of them successful.

isro.gov.in → Wikipedia →

The launch site

It went up from Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India.

See the pad on a map →

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