NEW DELHI: After launching the world’s costliest earth observation mission NISAR in collaboration with the US on July 30, India is set to launch a US communication satellite —Block-2 BlueBird — weighing 6,500 kg in a couple of months, Isro chairman V Narayanan disclosed on Sunday.The Block 2 BlueBird satellite features large communication arrays, up to 2,400 sq ft, and has been designed to achieve data transmission speeds of up to 12 Mbps, enabling voice, data and video communication capabilities for end users. The satellite will provide direct-to-smartphone broadband connectivity, eliminating the need for specialised terminals.The next-generation American satellite is expected to reach India in Sept and will be launched aboard LVM-3-M5, Isro’s heaviest rocket, from the Sriharikota spaceport. BlueBird satellite uses AST & Science’s patented technologies for connecting to cellphones in a space environment for their SpaceMobile constellation.The satellite has a communications array measuring 64.38 sq m to establish direct connectivity with cellphones via 3GPP-standard frequencies, in partnership with leading cellular service providers around the world. After NISAR, the Block-2 BlueBird launch will further boost Indo-US space collaboration.Narayanan, who was presented with an honorary Doctor of Science degree by Maharashtra governor C.P. Radhakrishnan during the convocation ceremony at SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Kattankulathur near Chennai, talked about the rapid strides India’s made in the field of space technology.He said Isro was set up in 1963, with a tiny rocket being donated by the US that year to mark the beginning of the Indian space programme. In 1975, with satellite data given by the US, Isro demonstrated ‘mass communication’ through 2,400 TV sets at 2,400 villages across six Indian states. “From that (humble beginnings), the 30th of July was a historic day for the Indian space programme. We have launched the NISAR satellite, the costliest one ever built in the world. Today, we are working shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries,” Narayanan said.