ISRO Reschedules BlueBird-6 Satellite Launch to December 21

Sriharikota | December 14, 2025

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has rescheduled the launch of the BlueBird-6 communication satellite to December 21, 2025, citing additional technical preparations. The satellite will be launched aboard ISRO’s heavy-lift LVM3 (Bahubali) rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

BlueBird-6, weighing around 6.5 tonnes, is the heaviest foreign commercial satellite ever launched by ISRO. The satellite belongs to U.S.-based company AST SpaceMobile and is designed to provide direct-to-mobile broadband connectivity across the globe, including remote and underserved regions.

This high-profile mission highlights ISRO’s growing strength in the global commercial launch market and strengthens India–US space cooperation. The launch is being handled through NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm.

According to officials, the mission will play a crucial role in enabling space-based cellular connectivity, allowing ordinary smartphones to connect directly to satellites without special equipment.

The successful launch of BlueBird-6 is expected to further boost India’s reputation as a reliable and cost-effective space launch partner.