ISRO’s LVM3 rocket delivers India’s heaviest-ever commercial payload

Heavy lift launch: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has deployed the 6.1-tonne BlueBird’s communications satellite into low Earth orbit (LEO) aboard its LVM3-M6 rocket, according to an ISRO statement.

ISRO said the satellite is the heaviest commercial payload launched by LVM3 from Indian soil. The mission was a commercial launch under a contract between state-run NewSpace India and US-based AST SpaceMobile.

Why it matters: This launch comes as India looks to scale its space economy from USD 8 bn to USD 44 bn in the coming years. India is positioning itself as a credible heavy-lift alternative to Western providers, reinforcing its role in the global commercial space economy.