Delhi. The scenario of internet and broadband services in India is now going to change. Elon Musk’s company SpaceX took the country to a new height in the digital age by successfully launching the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) communication satellite GSAT-N2. The launch took place aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Smart city mission will get a boost
The GSAT-N2 satellite has been specifically developed keeping in mind the requirements of India’s Smart Cities Mission. Its high-throughput capacity, which is up to 48 Gbps, will make data transmission faster and more effective. This satellite will not only improve broadband services across the country but will also provide services like in-flight connectivity, allowing passengers to experience faster internet even in the aircraft.
Radhakrishnan Durairaj, head of ISRO’s commercial arm New Space India Limited, confirmed that the satellite has been placed in the correct orbit. This state-of-the-art satellite, jointly developed by ISRO’s Satellite Center and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, has high-throughput capability and has a data transmission capacity of 48 Gbps. This satellite will not only improve broadband services in the country but will also provide internet connectivity during flights.
Design of GSAT-N2
GSAT-N2 is designed to remain operational for 14 years. The satellite is equipped with 32 user beams, of which 8 narrow beams cover Northeast India and 24 wide beams cover other parts of India. Its Ka-band HTS payload will ensure high data transmission and play a vital role under India’s Smart Cities Mission.
ISRO has often used French company Arianespace for satellites with heavy payloads. However, this time due to the weight of GSAT-N2 being 4,700 kg, it was launched from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. ISRO’s current launch vehicle LVM-3 can also carry a payload of up to 4,000 kg, but Falcon 9 was chosen for GSAT-N2.