NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm, plans to launch the GSAT-20 satellite, renamed GSAT-N2, on SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket in the second quarter of 2024.

What to know: According to a report by The Hindu, this high-throughput Ka-band satellite (HTS), designed to enhance connectivity across India, including remote regions like the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands, is a significant step in NSIL’s mandate to operate in a demand-driven mode, as per the Indian government’s 2020 space sector reforms.

The GSAT-20 satellite, weighing 4,700 kg and offering around 48 Gbps HTS capacity, aims to fulfil the broadband, In-Flight and Maritime Connectivity (IFMC), and cellular backhaul service needs.

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Indian service providers have already secured a large portion of the GSAT-20 satellite’s capacity, emphasizing its expected significant role in enhancing communication services.

An important collab: NSIL’s collaboration with SpaceX for the launch marks a notable event in the global space sector, with Falcon-9 being the world’s first orbital-class reusable rocket. This reusability feature is a key factor in reducing the cost of space access, aligning with SpaceX’s vision of making space travel more economical and sustainable.

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