After NISAR, ISRO Prepares To Launch 6,500-kg US Satellite With Direct-To-Phone Broadband
ISRO to launch US-made Block-2 BlueBird satellite in September aboard LMV-3, offering direct-to-phone broadband and boosting India-US space cooperation.
After collaborating with NASA to launch the NISAR satellite, the world’s costliest Earth observation mission, ISRO is set to launch another US communication satellite, the Block-2 BlueBird, which weighs 6,500 kg, in the next couple of months, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said on Sunday.
High-Tech Features and Capabilities
According to him, the Block-2 BlueBird satellite has large communication arrays measuring up to 2,400 sq ft and is specially designed to achieve a data transmission speed of up to 12 Mbps, enabling voice, data, and video communication capabilities for end users. Moreover, this satellite will also offer direct-to-smartphone broadband connectivity, eliminating the need for specialised terminals.
This next-generation satellite is expected to reach India in September and will be launched aboard the LMV-3-M5, the heaviest rocket in ISRO’s fleet. The launch will take place from the Sriharikota spaceport. The Block-2 BlueBird satellite uses AST & Science’s patented technologies to connect directly to cellphones in the space environment for the SpaceMobile Constellation.
The satellite’s communication array is measured at 64.38 sq m, enabling direct connectivity with cellphones via 3GPP-standard frequencies. It also has partnerships with leading cellular service providers across the globe.
Strengthening Indo-US Space Cooperation
Following NISAR, the upcoming Block-2 BlueBird launch is set to further strengthen space cooperation between India and the US. According to Narayanan, the satellite was supposed to arrive in India three months ago, but due to some “developmental issues” its arrival was delayed.
When asked whether former US President Donald Trump’s trade policies would affect collaboration with NASA, he said he “fully believes that whatever technology contracts India has signed will be executed.”
Honour and Reflection on ISRO’s Journey
Narayanan, who received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan during the convocation at SRM Institute of Science and Technology in Kattankulathur near Chennai, highlighted the rapid progress India has made in space technology.
He recalled that ISRO was established in 1963, with the US donating a small rocket that same year to mark the start of India’s space programme. In 1975, using satellite data provided by the US, ISRO showcased ‘mass communication’ by installing 2,400 TV sets across 2,400 villages in six Indian states. “From that humble beginning, the 30th of July was a historic day for the Indian space programme. We have launched the NISAR satellite, the costliest one ever built in the world. Today, we are working shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries,” Narayanan said.
India’s Space Station Plans
He also reaffirmed ISRO’s goal of completing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, India’s own space station, by 2035. The 52-tonne station will be built in five modules, with the first module expected to be placed in orbit in 2028.
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