The satellite GSAT 20 successfully launched by ISRO on board SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket in US.
On November 18, the most sophisticated communication satellite, GSAT 20, was successfully launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on board SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, US.
This satellite will provide broadband services in remote areas and in-flight internet services in passenger aircraft.
It will be operational for 14 years. This is the first time ISRO, through its commercial arm New Space India Limited (NSIL), has launched a satellite on a SpaceX rocket.
GSAT-20 weighs 4,700 kg and is one of India’s heaviest communication satellites.
GSAT-20 is too heavy for India’s own rocket, LVM-3, known as ‘Bahubali’, so SpaceX was chosen for the launch.
India had till now relied on French launch service provider Arianespace for such heavy satellite launches, but the company currently has no operational rockets, and the only credible option India had was to go with SpaceX.
SpaceX’s heavy-lift Falcon-9 rocket can launch a payload of 8,300 kilograms or 8.3 tonnes into geostationary transfer orbit.
