New Delhi (TDI): India has successfully launched the heaviest satellite ever sent into space from its territory, marking a major milestone for the country’s rapidly advancing space program.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday deployed a 6,100-kilogram communications satellite into low-Earth orbit using its LVM3-M6 launch vehicle. The satellite, built by US-based AST SpaceMobile, represents the largest payload India has ever placed into orbit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the mission as a major achievement, describing it as a significant step forward for India’s space ambitions. He said the launch strengthens the country’s heavy-lift capabilities and underlines its growing presence in the global commercial launch market.
ISRO said that this was the heaviest payload launched from Indian soil, made possible through an upgraded version of the rocket that India plans to use for future crewed and uncrewed missions.
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The launch is expected to boost India’s efforts to secure a larger share of the fast-growing satellite communications industry, as global demand rises for advanced phone and internet connectivity.
Earlier this year, ISRO successfully launched the CMS-03 communications satellite, which weighed approximately 4,410 kilograms. The latest mission significantly surpasses that record.
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India has steadily expanded its space capabilities over the past decade, achieving complex missions at a fraction of the cost of many established spacefaring nations. The country plans to conduct an uncrewed orbital mission ahead of its first human spaceflight, which is currently targeted for 2027.
Looking further ahead, Prime Minister Modi has also outlined India’s ambition to land an astronaut on the Moon by 2040.
