&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "What is Block-2 BlueBird? US-based satellite to be launched by ISRO using India’s heaviest rocket")
Once reliant on foreign aid but now leading globally, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch a 6,500 kg US-based communication satellite, the Block-2 BlueBird (BlueBird 2), in the next couple of months, the chairman of the space agency, V. Narayanan, said on Sunday. The development comes after the launch of the NISAR satellite, the world’s costliest Earth observation mission in collaboration with NASA.
While speaking at an event near Chennai, V. Narayanan stated that this mission will follow the historic launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission onboard a GSLV-F16 rocket on July 30. “In another couple of months, a country that received a tiny rocket from the United States, is going to launch a 6,500 kg communication satellite built by the America using our own launcher from Indian soil. What a significant growth it is,” he said, TOI reported.
What is the US's BlueBird 2 satellite?
Block-2 BlueBird, developed by the US-based company AST SpaceMobile, is a next-generation satellite that is built to revolutionise global connectivity. As per V. Narayanan, this satellite has large communication range measuring up to 2,400 sq ft. Block-2 BlueBird is specially designed with an aim to achieve a data transmission speed of up to 12 Mbps, prompting hassle-free voice, data, and video communication for end users. Interestingly, this satellite will also facilitate direct-to-smartphone broadband connectivity, without the need for specialised terminals.
India will receive this next-generation satellite in September, and it will be launched from the Sriharikota spaceport aboard the heaviest rocket in ISRO’s fleet, the LMV-3-M5. The interesting part of the Block-2 BlueBird satellite is that it uses AST & Science’s patented technologies to connect directly to cellphones in the space environment for the SpaceMobile Constellation.
The satellite features a 64.38 sq m communication array, enabling direct mobile connectivity through 3GPP-standard frequencies. It has forged partnerships with leading telecom operators worldwide.
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NASA's foreign aid to global leader
Narayanan recalled that when ISRO was established in 1963, India lagged six to seven years behind advanced spacefaring countries. That same year, the United States donated a tiny rocket, marking the beginning of the Indian Space Programme. "It was on November 21, 1963," he said.
He added that leveraging satellite data given by the US in 1975, ISRO showcased 'mass communication' by installing 2,400 television sets across 2,400 villages of 6 Indian states.
"From that (kind of humble beginnings), the 30th of July was a historical day for the Indian space programme. We have launched the NISAR satellite. The costliest satellite ever built in the world. The L Band SAR payload from the USA and S Band payload provided by ISRO. The satellite was placed in orbit precisely by Indian launcher (GSLV). And today, we are shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries," Narayanan remarked.
Narayanan also reiterated ISRO’s commitment to completing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, India’s own space station, by 2035. The 52-tonne facility will be set up in five modules, with the first module likely to be placed in orbit in 2028.
