ISRO launches the Bluebird Block-2 Spacecraft on board its heavy lift launch vehicle LVM3-M6.  

  1. The launch will be ISRO heaviest so far. The Bluebird Block-2 Satellite weighs 6,100 Kg. 
  2. It is a commercial communication satellite mission to be deployed in Low Earth Orbit (Altitude < 1000Km) 
  3. The satellite is designed by the US Company AST space mobile and intends to provide a Direct to Mobile Connectivity (No Ground Stations) 
  4. NOTE- This is the third commercial mission by ISRO that employs LVM3. The other two were satellite launches for the company One Web. The CMS03 launch used a LVM3.  The LVM3 Rocket will also be used for Gaganyaan Mission and to carry the modules of Bhartiya Antriksh Station. LVM 3 uses a cryogenic engine. 
  5. Some other Heavy Launch Vehicles of other countries - Russia(Soyuz-2), , ESA (Ariane-5), SpaceX (Falcon 9) 

About LVM3 : 

  1. LVM3 is a cryogenic engine based vehicle (Liquified gases at extremely low temperatures are used as a fuel eg Liquid Oxygen and Hydrogen)
  2. It was initially designed to carry satellites to distant Geosynchronous orbits of around 36,000Km. It was called the GSLV-Mk3 then (Geosynchronous Launch Vehicle Mark 3)
  3. After it successfully placed the OneWeb satellites in LEO as well, it was renamed as LVM3. 
  4. LVM3 is being human rated and is slated to be used in the Gaganyaan Mission and to carry modules of BAS. 
  5. ISRO is also working to make the LVM3 more efficient and also add a “Bootstrap Reignition” capability in it. 
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