India, Dec. 24 -- Just hours remain for the launch of India's heavy-lift LVM3-M6 rocket, as the Indian Space Research Organisation prepares to loft a next-generation US communication satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in a major commercial mission.

ISRO said the rocket is on track to lift off at 8.54 am on Wednesday from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The mission will carry the BlueBird Block-2 spacecraft of US-based AST SpaceMobile, marking the sixth operational flight of the LVM3 launch vehicle.

The 6,100-kg BlueBird Block-2 will be the heaviest payload ever launched by LVM3 into LEO, a significant milestone for the rocket.

The earlier record was held by the CMS-03 communication satellite, weighing about 4...