A rare view from inside India’s heaviest rocket has been shared after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released onboard camera footage from the LVM3 M6 mission. The visuals offer a detailed rocket’s eye perspective of the BlueBird Block 2 mission from liftoff to satellite separation.
The footage was posted by ISRO on X and captures every major phase of the ascent. It shows the LVM3 lifting off from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The visuals then document the separation of the twin S200 solid strap on boosters, followed by the separation of the L110 liquid core stage and the jettisoning of the payload fairing. The sequence ends with the successful deployment of the BlueBird Block 2 satellite into Low Earth Orbit.
The visuals were recorded during Isro’s successful commercial launch of a next generation US communication satellite for AST SpaceMobile earlier in the day. The satellite weighed 6,100 kg and was placed into its intended orbit at an altitude of about 520 km, around 15 minutes after launch.
The 43.5 metre tall LVM3 lifted off at 8.55 am after the completion of a 24 hour countdown. The rocket is powered by 2 S200 solid boosters, a liquid core stage, and a cryogenic upper stage. ISRO said all mission events were executed exactly as planned.
The space agency confirmed that the mission, designated LVM3 M6, marked the 6th operational flight of the LVM3 launch vehicle. The rocket is popularly known as Bahubali for its heavy lift capability. ISRO chief Dr V Narayanan described the mission’s success as a “season’s gift” to the country.
BlueBird Block 2 is part of a Low Earth Orbit constellation being developed by US based AST SpaceMobile. The satellite is designed to enable direct to mobile connectivity, offering 4G and 5G voice and video calls, text messaging, streaming, and data services directly on standard mobile smartphones.
Developed by Isro, the 3 stage LVM3 has a lift off mass of 640 tonnes and a payload capacity of 4,200 kg to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. In previous missions, the rocket has successfully launched Chandrayaan 2, Chandrayaan 3, and 2 OneWeb missions carrying 72 satellites.
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