ISRO Preps US Launch Of Advanced Satellite For Enabling In-Flight Internet

India is ready to launch from the US’ Cape Canaveral its most sophisticated communications satellite named GSAT-N2, also called GSAT-20, using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Made by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), this 4,700 kg satellite was too heavy for Indian rockets to carry, hence the foreign commercial launch.

The satellite when operational will provide data or Internet services to remote areas and provide in-flight Internet in passenger aircraft.

While the satellite has been made at ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Centre, this is a purely commercial launch being front-ended by the Indian space Agency’s commercial arm New Space India Limited (NSIL). After the successful deployment of the satellite, there will be a delay in providing Internet on aircraft as service providers will have to get licences and the aircraft have to be made ready to connect to satellite-based Internet.

“This homegrown satellite when operational will fill that big hole of in-flight Internet connectivity that exists over India on the world Internet map,” says Dr M Sankaran, Director of UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. Till now, whenever international flights enter Indian air space, they had to switch off Internet as India does not allow this service.

“This is India’s highest throughput satellite and the only one operating exclusively in the much sought after Ka band,” says Dr Sankaran.

According to ISRO, GSAT-N2 is set to enhance broadband services and in-flight connectivity (IFC) across the Indian region. This satellite, featuring multiple spot beams and wideband Ka x Ka transponders, aims to support a large subscriber base with small user terminals, significantly boosting system throughput through its multi-beam architecture which allows frequency reuse.

GSAT-N2, with a lift-off mass of 4,700 kg, has a mission life of 14 years. The satellite is equipped with 32 user beams, comprising eight 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.

Viasat Inc a leading satellite services operator from the US says it will also be using GSAT-20 capacity to provide in-flight and maritime connectivity services in India, as it offers ‘nose-to-tail broadband connectivity’.

This will be ISRO’s first commercial launch with SpaceX. Experts assess that NSIL paid nearly Rs 500 crore for this dedicated launch on a highly reliable Falcon 9 rocket. There are other commercial arrangements that ISRO has negotiated with SpaceX.

The satellite will be owned and operated by NSIL and this will be its second commercial satellite. It already has 11 satellites in space serving the Indian landmass.