Overview
- A Chennai-based report says the 6.5-tonne US satellite’s LVM3 liftoff has been deferred with a new date expected after December 20, though ISRO and AST SpaceMobile have not confirmed.
- The flight had been scheduled for December 15 from Sriharikota under a NewSpace India Limited commercial contract.
- BlueBird-6 carries nearly 2,400 square feet of phased-array antennas, about 3.5 times larger than prior units, enabling roughly 10 times the data capacity.
- The satellite is designed to deliver mobile broadband directly to standard phones using licensed spectrum through partnerships with terrestrial carriers.
- AST SpaceMobile identifies BlueBird-6 as the first of its next-generation Block-2 spacecraft, with further launches planned through 2026.