Florida : Elon Musk-owned SpaceX on Tuesday successfully launched and deployed India's communication satellite GSAT-N2 into its designated orbit that carries with it the country's ambition to improve its broadband infrastructure.
The cutting edge satellite communication technology will cater to the country's growing broadband and in-flight connectivity needs.
The launch took place from Florida, and SpaceX confirmed the mission's success around 12:36 am, noting that the satellite was injected into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) as planned.
According to ISRO, the satellite is a "Ka-band high-throughput communication satellite" developed by ISRO's commercial arm, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). This is the second 'demand driven' satellite by the NSIL. Utilizing the Ka-band frequency, GSAT-20 is designed to support in-flight internet services and Smart Cities initiatives.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh also praised the launch, stating via a post on X, "Kudos to team ISRO & SpaceX for the successful launch of GSAT-N2. Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, collaboration between ISRO & SpaceX aims at enhancing internet services, including in remote areas as well as in-flight connectivity, with a mission lifespan of 14 years."
NSIL reported that the 4,700-kg satellite is designed to provide high-throughput communication services, with a throughput capacity of 48 Gbps over India, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. It will cater to the country's broadband and in-flight connectivity needs. The satellite has been successfully placed in orbit, with preliminary data showing it is in good health.
According to ISRO the GSAT-N2 is equipped with 32 user beams, including narrow spot beams over the Northeast region and wide spot beams coverage to the rest of India ensuring robust broadband coverage extending to remote areas like Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshwadeep areas. The satellite is expected to significantly enhance broadband services and in-flight connectivity (IFC).
Its multi-beam architecture allows frequency reuse, greatly enhancing system throughput. With a mission life of 14 years, GSAT-N2 will support a large number of users and boost India's communication capabilities.
SpaceX also reported that this launch was part of a series of missions, completing three successful Falcon 9 launches in approximately 20 hours, marking their 112th, 113th, and 114th successful launches of the year.
This launch is part of the Indian government's 2020 space sector reforms, which mandate NSIL to develop satellites based on service demand.