India A Serious Space Contender As ISRO’s BlueBird Launch Signals Global Commercial Leap |
India has every reason to be elated. With the successful launch of BlueBird Block-2 (popularly referred to as BlueBird-6) aboard the LVM3-M6 rocket, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a milestone that goes beyond national pride and firmly places India at the centre of the global commercial space market.
Weighing over 6,100 kg, BlueBird Block-2 is the heaviest payload ever lifted from Indian soil by an Indian launcher. The vehicle has a payload capacity of up to 9,000 kg. Its successful injection into low Earth orbit at an altitude of about 520 km marks not just a technical triumph but a strategic one.
Designed by US-based AST SpaceMobile, the satellite belongs to a next-generation constellation that aims........