ISRO launches 6.5-tonne US BlueBird-6 satellite Dec 15: Historic mission

• ISRO will launch the 6.5-tonne US commercial satellite BlueBird-6 on December 15 from Sriharikota.
• The satellite, developed by AST SpaceMobile Inc., will be launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) using ISRO’s LVM3 heavy-lift launch vehicle.
• BlueBird-6 aims to provide space-based cellular broadband, bridging the global "digital divide" by delivering high-speed internet directly to mobile phones in remote areas.
• This mission marks a historic commercial venture for ISRO, strengthening India's position in the international space launch market.
• The satellite features the largest commercial phased-array antenna in LEO and offers nearly ten times the data throughput of previous units.

Why It Matters: ISRO's launch expands global direct-to-device broadband access.