Chennai, Jan 18 (UNI) ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan flagged off the Core Liquid Stage (L110)

for the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3), popularly known as the “Bahubali” rocket, to the launch

complex at Sriharikota.

It was flagged off on Friday in the presence of the Directors of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre

(VSSC), Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) and ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC).

This stage is the 10th L110 liquid stage integrated at ISRO Propulsion complex, Mahendragiri

and is earmarked for the LVM3 mission under a commercial agreement between NSIL and AST

and Science, LLC to launch their BlueBird Block 2 satellite.

The stage was designed and developed by Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) during the development of the LVM3 launch vehicle and is powered by twin Vikas engines with a propellant

loading of 110 tonnes.

BlueBird is an advanced American communications satellite that would enable direct Smartphone

communication from Space.

The Bluebird satellite consists of advanced technology that will enable individuals to make calls

using smartphones from

The 6,000 kg satellite will operate in Low Earth Orbit, facilitating direct satellite-to-smartphone

connections, besides allowing users to make calls and access broadband internet from space

without relying on traditional ground-based towers.

AST Space Mobile said along with its partners, it was committed to eliminating the connectivity

gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers, and bringing cellular broadband to the

billions who remain unconnected.

The BlueBird 1-5 satellites--built by AST SpaceMobile in the company’s 185,000 sqft of assembly,

integration, and testing space in Midland, Texas--will be the largest commercial communications

arrays in low Earth orbit.

BlueWalker 1, the first satellite of AST and Science LLC, was launched on April 1, 2019, from the

SDSC-SHAR using PSLV-C45.

The satellite, launched as part of a total 24 US satellites in the mission, decayed from orbit on

November 29, 2023.

In all PSLV-C45 had successfully injected the parimary payload EMISAT and 28 international

customer satellites--including 24 from US, two from Lithuania and one each from Switzerland

and Spain-- into their designated orbits.

UNI GV 1507