Isro uses SpaceX rocket to launch GSAT-20 communication satellite

A Falcon 9 rocket of Elon Musk’s space venture SpaceX on Monday launched India’s advanced communication satellite, GSAT-20, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The Falcon 9 rocket, in its 19th space flight, placed the GSAT-20 or GSAT-N2 mission on a geosynchronous transfer orbit, which was later taken control by Isro’s tracking and monitoring centres.

The launch contract awarded by NSIL, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), is the first Indian contract with SpaceX. Earlier, Isro was using the spare capacity of the European Union’s space agency Arianespace for heavy-lift launch support. 

However, this time around, Arianespace was lacking spare capacity and geopolitical considerations blunted the Russia option.

The 4,700 kg GSAT-N2, the heaviest Indian satellite so far, will enhance broadband connectivity across India, especially in remote and rural areas, while also enabling on-flight internet services for airlines.

Isro's Master Control Facility (MCF) in Hassan, Karnataka, on Wednesday said the satellite is in good condition and that all systems are functioning well.

Isro is now conducting orbital manoeuvres to guide GSAT-N2 from its transfer orbit to a geostationary orbit at an altitude of about 36,000 kilometres.

Isro is using the satellite’s onboard propulsion system for the orbit raising process, which will take a few more days.

GSAT-N2 will then undergo in-orbit performance testing to verify the performance of its Ka-band payload, which is capable of delivering data transmission speeds up to 48 Gbps.

The satellite has 32 user beams, including eight narrow spot beams and 24 wide spot beams, with supporting hubs across the country.