NSIL to utilise SpaceX Falcon 9 for GSAT-20 satellite launch

ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Ltd has announced plans to launch its communication satellite GSAT-20 onboard Elon Musk-owned SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket in the second quarter of 2024, to meet the broadband communication needs of the country.

GSAT-20 (renamed as GSAT-N2) is a high throughput Ka-band satellite.

Ka-band satellites deliver high-speed broadband internet connectivity and digital video and audio transmission.

In a statement, the state owned NSIL said the bulk of the high throughput satellite (HTS) capacity onboard GSAT-20 satellite has already been secured by Indian service providers.

GSAT-20 offers Ka-band HTS capacity with 32 beams having pan-India coverage including in Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands, it said.

“NSIL is realising GSAT-20 satellite through ISRO and will be launched onboard Falcon-9 under a launch service contract between NSIL and SpaceX, USA. GSAT-20, weighing 4,700 kg, offers HTS capacity of nearly 48Gpbs. The satellite has been specifically designed to meet the demanding service needs of remote/unconnected regions,” the statement read.

According to NSIL, it is mandated to build, launch, own and operate satellites in “demand-driven mode” for meeting service needs of the user.
As part of this, NSIL successfully undertook its first demand-driven satellite mission, GSAT-24 in June 2022, wherein the capacity onboard the satellite was fully secured by satellite television service Tata Play. PTI