GUWAHATI: SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) GSAT-20 communication satellite from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 12:01 am IST on Tuesday, November 19.
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Weighing approximately 4,700 kg, the satellite is designed to enhance India’s communication infrastructure by providing internet connectivity to remote areas and enabling in-flight internet services across Indian airspace. With a mission lifespan of 14 years, GSAT-20 aims to improve broadband services using a Ka-band high-throughput communications payload.
Also known as GSAT-N2, the GSAT-20 satellite is equipped with 32 beams covering all India including Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Island. The satellite is a key component of India’s efforts to expand broadband access across the country.
This launch marks the first commercial collaboration between ISRO and SpaceX, following a partnership announced earlier this year on January 3 by New Space India Limited (NSIL), a government-run entity. While ISRO has launched over 430 foreign satellites, the GSAT-20's weight exceeded the capacity of ISRO's largest launch vehicle, prompting the partnership with SpaceX. ISRO's largest launch vehicle, the LVM-3 rocket, which can carry up to 4,000 kg to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, could not accommodate the GSAT-20, making SpaceX’s Falcon 9 the most viable option, particularly due to the limited availability of operational rockets from European and other international providers.
The launch took place from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, with Falcon 9 completing a 34-minute journey to place the satellite into its designated orbit. This mission was SpaceX’s 396th Falcon 9 flight, conducted from a site leased by the US Space Force.