ISRO, Elon Musk's SpaceX join hands to launch communication satellite GSAT-N2
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday launched its latest communication satellite GSAT-N2, which also marks the Indian space agency's first major collaboration with Elon Musk-owned SpaceX. GSAT-N2 was launched from the Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.??
Purpose of GSAT-N2
The GSAT-N2 satellite was launched for NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) under the Department of Space and the commercial arm of ISRO, and it aims to provide data or Internet services to remote areas. The GSAT-N2 satellite, which weighs over 4,700 kilograms, will also enable the availability of the Internet in aeroplanes across the Indian region.??
What is?GSAT-N2
GSAT-N2 (GSAT-20) is a Ka-band high-throughput communication satellite that features multiple spot beams and aims to support a large subscriber base with small user terminals.??
According to ISRO: ¡°GSAT-N2 has a mission life of 14 years¡ and is equipped with 32 user beams, comprising 8 narrow spot beams over the Northeast region and 24 wide spot beams over the rest of India. These 32 beams will be supported by hub stations located within mainland India. The Ka-band HTS communication payload provides a throughput of approximately 48 Gbps.¡±
"This homegrown satellite, when operational, will fill that big hole of in-flight Internet connectivity that exists over India on the world Internet map," said Dr M. Sankaran, Director of the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.??
"This is India's highest-throughput satellite and the only one operating exclusively in the much sought-after Ka-band," says Dr Sankaran.??
In-flight WiFI in India
Till now, whenever international flights entered Indian airspace, they had to switch off the Internet as India did not allow this service.??
But recently, India amended rules to permit in-flight Internet access over India.??
Why ISRO used SpaceX falcon for GSAT-N2 launch?
ISRO joined hands with SpaceX to launch its GSAT-N2 satellite due to the technical limitations of its launch vehicle, Mark-3, which can put 4,000 kg into a geostationary transfer orbit. However, since GSAT-N2 weighs 4,700 kg, the space agency had to rely on the SpaceX Falcon 9.??
For more news and current affairs?from around the world, please visit?Indiatimes News.
