Satellite Enhances Communication Infrastructure for India’s Smart City Mission
November 18, 2024 – GSAT-N2 Satellite Successfully Launched
India successfully launched the GSAT-N2 satellite, also known as GSAT-20, on November 18, 2024, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The launch occurred at 18:30 UTC, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space exploration and communication infrastructure development. After reaching orbit, GSAT-N2 was placed in a geostationary orbit at an altitude of 35,786 km, continuing the GSAT series’ mission to enhance India’s communication capabilities.
GSAT-N2: A Key Asset for Smart Cities and Communication Services
The GSAT-N2 satellite, a high-throughput communication satellite equipped with a Ka-band payload, was designed to support India’s Smart City Mission by boosting data transmission capacities across urban regions. With a mission life of 14 years, the satellite is owned and funded by New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The GSAT series has been instrumental in providing critical communication services for Direct-to-Home (DTH) television operators, including DD Free Dish, Sun Direct, Tata Play, and Dish TV. Notably, the entire capacity of GSAT-N2 has been leased to Dish TV. The satellite’s Ka-band payload delivers a throughput of 70 Gbit/s across 40 beams, doubling this coverage to 80 beams with dual-polarisation. This advanced configuration offers a total High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) capacity of nearly 48 Gbps. To support its mission, the satellite is powered by two solar array batteries.
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SpaceX Launched India’s Heavy Satellite
Weighing approximately 4,700 kg, GSAT-N2 was too heavy for India’s existing launch vehicles to carry to geostationary orbit. Historically, India relied on the French Ariane 5 rocket for such launches, but the retirement of Ariane 5 and delays in the upcoming Ariane 6 led ISRO to collaborate with SpaceX. SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket successfully carried GSAT-N2 into orbit, showcasing the growing partnership between India and global private space players.
Launch Vehicle Details
The Falcon-9 rocket, known for its reusability and performance, has become a preferred choice for many countries and private organisations. It is capable of carrying heavy payloads like GSAT-N2 to the precise geostationary orbit required for telecommunications and broadcasting satellites. This marked the first time India entrusted a foreign commercial rocket to launch one of its heavy satellites, underscoring an expanding global partnership and the increasing reliance on private-sector space technology.
Strengthening India-U.S. Space Ties under New U.S. President
The collaboration with SpaceX highlighted the strengthening of Indo-U.S. space relations under the leadership of the newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump, who assumed office in 2024. The agreement underscored the importance of private-sector innovation in space technology.
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This launch followed a high-profile meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk in 2023. During the meeting, Musk praised India’s rapid progress in space exploration, stating, “I think India has more potential than any other large country in the world. He (Prime Minister Modi) really cares about India because he’s pushing us to make significant investments in India, which is something that we intend to do.”
The successful launch of GSAT-N2 marked a major step in India’s broader space ambitions, strengthening its communication infrastructure to support the Smart City Mission and enhancing its capabilities in space exploration and technology.
