A major milestone in India’s commercial space journey: the U.S.-developed 6,500 kg BlueBird 6 satellite, built by AST SpaceMobile, has arrived in India at Chennai International Airport ahead of its launch aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation’s heavy-lift LVM3 rocket.
Transported on an ANA-124 Antonov cargo aircraft, the satellite will soon be moved to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre for final pre-launch preparations. The launch, managed by ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited, is expected in December 2025 or January 2026.
BlueBird 6 is designed for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and will form a key part of a global space-based mobile broadband network. This mission cements India’s role as a hub for commercial launches and international space collaboration.
