India launches BlueBird Block-2 satellite in major commercial space mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (IRSO) has successfully launched the BlueBird Block-2 communications satellite into low Earth orbit from Sriharikota. The satellite was carried aboard the LVM3-M6 launch vehicle, marking the heaviest satellite ever lifted from Indian soil using an Indian launcher. ISRO Chief V. Narayanan said the mission also represents the third fully commercial flight of the LVM3 rocket. The satellite, built for AST SpaceMobile, is designed to provide space-based cellular broadband directly to standard smartphones.