New Delhi, November 16 (IANS). The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is all set to launch its communication satellite with the help of Falcon 9 rocket of SpaceX, owned by American industrialist Elon Musk.
ISRO’s 4,700 kg GSAT-N2 satellite is aimed at providing data or internet services in remote areas.
This will also make internet availability possible in airplanes in the Indian region.
ISRO’s launch vehicle Mark-3 is capable of launching satellites weighing up to four thousand kilograms into geostationary transfer orbit. Since GSAT-N2 weighs more than this, the space agency is using SpaceX’s launch vehicle.
This is ISRO’s first commercial launch using SpaceX.
GSAT-N2 (GSAT-20) is a Ka-band high-throughput communications satellite of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of the Department of Space and ISRO.
The satellite has multiple spot beams and is aimed at supporting a large customer base with small user terminals.
According to ISRO, “GSAT-N2 has a mission life of 14 years and is equipped with 32 user beams, including eight spot beams over the North-Eastern region and 24 wide spot beams over the rest of India. These 32 beams are directed to hub stations located within the country. The Ka-band HTS communications payload provides a throughput of approximately 48 Gbps.”
Bengaluru based U.R. “When this indigenous satellite becomes operational, it will bridge the major gap of in-flight internet connectivity that exists in India on the world internet map,” said Dr M Shankaran, Director, Rao Satellite Centre.
He further said, “It is India’s most capable satellite and the only satellite that operates exclusively in the much-coveted Ka-band.”
Currently when international flights enter Indian airspace, they have to disconnect the internet as India does not allow this service. But, recently India has amended the rules to provide internet facility in the country during flight.
According to the new rules, Wi-Fi services can be provided inside aircraft at an altitude of more than three thousand meters.
However, passengers will be able to use these services only when the use of electronic devices is allowed in the aircraft.
–IANS
AKS/AKJ
