Direct 5G satellite signals will reach standard mobile phones.
India is preparing for a historic space milestone this Christmas season. On December 24, 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will execute the ISRO BlueBird Block 2 launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This mission, known as LVM3-M6, is set to lift off at 8:54 am IST and represents a massive leap for global telecommunications.
What makes this mission special is the technology onboard. The BlueBird Block 2 satellite, developed by US-based AST SpaceMobile, is designed to beam 4G and 5G signals directly to standard smartphones. Users won't need any special hardware or extra antennae to stay connected. Whether you are trekking through the deep Himalayas or sailing across the ocean, this satellite ensures your phone stays in the network.
The "Bahubali" of Indian rockets, the LVM3, will carry this massive payload. Weighing approximately 6.1 tonnes, the BlueBird Block 2 is the heaviest commercial satellite India has ever launched into Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). Once it reaches its destination about 520 kilometres above Earth, it will unfurl a massive 223-square-metre antenna. This setup will create over 5,600 signal cells, providing data speeds of up to 120 Mbps—fast enough for high-quality video streaming and rapid data transfers.
Managed by NewSpace India Limited, this is the ninth flight for the LVM3 and ISRO’s fifth major mission in 2025. This operation highlights India's growing dominance in the commercial space sector, following the success of missions like Chandrayaan-3. By providing connectivity to rural areas and "dead zones" where traditional towers cannot reach, the ISRO BlueBird Block 2 launch aims to bridge the digital divide for billions of people worldwide. Final preparations are currently underway at Sriharikota as the countdown begins for this game-changing event.
