India’s space agency ISRO has successfully launched its heaviest-ever payload, deploying a 6,100-kilogram communications satellite into low-Earth orbit using the LVM3-M6 rocket.
The satellite, built by US-based AST SpaceMobile, was launched from Indian soil, making it the largest payload ever carried by an Indian launch vehicle. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the mission as a “significant stride” in India’s space journey.
A significant stride in India’s space sector…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 24, 2025
The successful LVM3-M6 launch, placing the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil, the spacecraft of USA, BlueBird Block-2, into its intended orbit, marks a proud milestone in India’s space journey.
It strengthens… pic.twitter.com/AH6aJAyOhi
ISRO officials said the launch demonstrated India’s enhanced heavy-lift launch capability, using a modified version of the rocket intended for future human spaceflight and deep-space missions.
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The mission strengthens India’s position in the commercial satellite launch market, as global demand rises for advanced mobile, internet, and communication services. Earlier this year, ISRO launched the CMS-03 communications satellite, weighing over 4,400 kilograms.
India plans to conduct an uncrewed orbital mission ahead of its first human spaceflight scheduled for 2027, with longer-term ambitions to send an Indian astronaut to the Moon by 2040.
Over the past decade, India’s low-cost space programme has rapidly expanded, increasingly rivaling established space powers while maintaining significantly lower mission costs.
