ISRO to Launch 6,500 kg US-Built Communications Satellite

10 August, 2025

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch a 6,500 kg American-built communications satellite in the coming months, a major milestone for its commercial launch capabilities. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan highlighted this as significant growth from receiving a US-donated rocket in 1963 to now launching heavy US payloads. This follows the successful joint NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite launch, cementing India's position as a key player in the global space industry.

Unpacked:

Which ISRO launch vehicle can lift a 6,500 kg communications satellite, and what orbit is likely targeted?

ISRO’s heavy-lift LVM3 (GSLV Mk III) can place over 4,000 kg into GTO and around 8,000 kg to LEO, making it the most plausible vehicle for a 6,500 kg class payload, likely targeting GTO for a communications satellite before raising to GEO.

How does this U.S. commercial launch fit into ISRO’s broader commercial strategy?

It reflects ISRO’s push to grow international launch services beyond PSLV rideshares, alongside commercialization of SSLV via HAL and L&T manufacturing partnerships, indicating a shift to scale private-sector roles and attract foreign payloads across mass classes.

What historical milestones show ISRO’s progress from early days to launching heavy foreign payloads?

ISRO progressed from SLV-3 (first indigenous orbital launch in 1980) to PSLV/GSLV families, culminating in LVM3 heavy-lift capability; notable feats include launching 104 satellites in one mission (2017), many from the U.S., evidencing reliability for foreign customers.

What is NISAR and why does its success matter for India–U.S. space ties?

NISAR is a joint NASA–ISRO Earth-observing radar mission; its successful collaboration underscores technical interoperability and trust, strengthening India–U.S. space partnerships and bolstering ISRO’s credibility to win additional U.S. commercial launches.

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