India to launch G20 satellite on space X falcon 9 rocket

India to launch G20 satellite on space X falcon 9 rocket

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Space tech

Context: 

New Space India Ltd (NSIL), the ISRO’s commercial arm has announced its plans to launch communication satellite GSAT-20 on SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket.

More on news:

• The launch is likely to take place in the second quarter of 2024.
• NSIL  was mandated to build, launch, own and operate satellites in “Demand-driven mode” for meeting service needs of the user.
• NSIL  successfully undertook its 1st Demand-driven satellite mission, GSAT-24 during June 2022.
• This will be India’s first partnership with a venture led by billionaire Elon Musk to bring his Starlink satellite broadband to India.

About GSAT-20:

• GSAT-20 (renamed as GSAT-N2) is a high throughput Ka-band satellite. 
• GSAT-20 satellite will be fully owned, operated and funded by NSIL .
• Ka-band satellites deliver high-speed broadband internet connectivity and digital video and audio transmission.
  • The Kₐ band is a portion of the microwave part of the electromagnetic spectrum defined as frequencies in the range 26.5–40 gigahertz, i.e. wavelengths from slightly over one centimeter down to 7.5 millimeters. 
• GSAT-20 offers Ka-band HTS capacity with 32 beams having pan-India coverage including in Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands
• GSAT 20 will be 2nd Demand driven communication satellite mission of NSIL  after GSAT24.
• The satellite has been specifically designed to meet the demanding service needs of remote/unconnected regions.
• GSAT-20 satellite through the ISRO and will be launched onboard Falcon-9 under a launch service contract between the NSIL and the SpaceX, USA.

• According to NSIL Chairperson Radhakrishnan Durairaj Demand-driven mode basically means we need to have an anchor customer who is ready to lease the entire capacity.
• NSIL is the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) with the primary responsibility of enabling Indian industries to take up high technology space related activities and is also responsible for promotion and commercial exploitation of the products and services emanating from the Indian space.

About SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket

• Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX
• It is aimed at reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond
• Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket which allows SpaceX to re-fly the most expensive parts of the rocket, which in turn drives down the cost of space access