The BlueBird 6 satellite — the world’s largest commercial communications satellite designed for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) — has arrived in India ahead of its launch on ISRO’s LVM3 rocket.Developed by U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile, the 6,500-kg satellite landed at Chennai International Airport this morning aboard an Antonov cargo aircraft, one of the world’s largest. Following customs clearance, it will be transported to the Sriharikota spaceport by Friday or Saturday, officials said, adding that the transfer will be conducted at night to avoid traffic congestion.
The launch is expected between December 2025 and January 2026, though the exact date is yet to be finalized. This will be the second major commercial satellite broadband launch aboard the LVM3 rocket, after ISRO’s successful deployment of 72 OneWeb satellites in 2022 and 2023.
The BlueBird 6 launch deal was facilitated by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm. The satellite features a massive 2,400 sq. ft. solar array, over three times larger than AST’s earlier models.
AST SpaceMobile plans to follow up with BlueBird 7 later this month, while satellites 8 through 16 are in various stages of production. The company aims to launch one satellite every 1–2 months through 2025–2026, building the world’s first space-based cellular broadband network for direct-to-device mobile connectivity.
Originally scheduled for launch in May 2025, the BlueBird 6 mission was postponed to ensure readiness for its expanded rollout plan.