Fri Nov 15 17:30:00 UTC 2024: **India Launches High-Throughput Communications Satellite for Enhanced Broadband and In-Flight Internet**
CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – India successfully launched its most advanced communications satellite, GSAT-N2 (also known as GSAT-20), aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The 4,700 kg satellite, built by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was too large for Indian rockets, necessitating the commercial launch.
GSAT-N2, operating exclusively in the Ka band, boasts significantly higher throughput than previous Indian satellites. Its 32 user beams (eight narrow beams for the northeast and 24 wide beams for the rest of India) will provide broadband services to remote areas and, critically, enable in-flight internet connectivity (IFC) across the country. This addresses a significant gap in India’s current air travel landscape, where internet access is currently unavailable during domestic flights.
The launch marks ISRO’s first commercial partnership with SpaceX, with New Space India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, reportedly paying approximately Rs 500 crore for the dedicated launch. NSIL will own and operate the satellite, adding to its existing constellation of 11 satellites serving India. Viasat Inc., a US-based satellite services operator, will utilize GSAT-20’s capacity to provide in-flight and maritime connectivity services.
While the satellite is now in orbit, providing in-flight internet will require additional time for service providers to obtain licenses and for aircraft to be equipped for satellite connectivity. The satellite is expected to have a 14-year mission life. Dr. M Sankaran, Director of UR Rao Satellite Centre, lauded GSAT-N2 as a game-changer for India’s connectivity infrastructure.
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