Florida: Elon Musk’s SpaceX successfully launched the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) communication satellite, GSAT-N2, into space.
The launch took place at 12:01 AM IST from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, utilizing SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The GSAT-N2, a high-throughput communication satellite, is designed to enhance broadband services and provide in-flight connectivity across India. Weighing 4,700 kg, the satellite was placed into a geosynchronous transfer orbit and is expected to remain operational for 14 years.
This mission marks the first commercial collaboration between ISRO and SpaceX, highlighting a significant step forward in international space cooperation.
The satellite features 32 user beams, including 8 narrow spot beams over the Northeast region and 24 wide spot beams over the rest of India, supported by hub stations within mainland India.
With a data transmission capacity of 48 Gbps, GSAT-N2 will play a crucial role in supporting India’s Smart Cities Mission and other communication infrastructure needs.
Radhakrishnan Durairaj, Chairman and Managing Director of New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, expressed his satisfaction with the successful deployment, stating, “The GSAT-N2 has been placed in a precise orbit, and preliminary data indicates the satellite is in good health”.
