TAG: GS-3: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CONTEXT: India’s GSAT-N2 (GSAT-20) communication satellite was successfully launched by SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket on November 19, 2024.
EXPLANATION:
About GSAT-N2 (GSAT-20):
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- It is a successful launch by SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket on November 19, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), Cape Canaveral Space Station, Florida.
- India’s first collaboration with SpaceX, marking a milestone in international space partnerships.
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- It is India’s latest communications satellite.
- It is a hi-tech, heavy-weight satellite weighing 4,700 kg.
- It has a high throughput capacity of 48 GBPS.
- The satellite made by ISRO has 32 spot beams, and it has been made to cover all of India, but with a special emphasis on providing connectivity for Northeastern India.
- The satellite will be owned and operated by ISRO’s commercial arm New Space India Ltd. (NSIL).
- ISRO opted for SpaceX to launch GSAT 20 because India’s indigenous heavy rocket, the Launch Vehicle Mark 3, lacks the capability to lift such a heavy satellite.
Features of the GSAT-N2:
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- It is developed by New Space India Limited (NSIL), ISRO’s commercial arm.
- Its purpose to enhances broadband services, in-flight connectivity, and supports a large subscriber base in India.
- It covers pan-India, including remote areas like Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
- Mission Life: 14 years.
- Technology Highlights:
- Ka-band HTS: 32 beams for high-throughput communication with approximately 48 Gbps throughput.
- Payload: Equipped with parabolic 2.5-meter reflectors and multiple feeds enabling frequency reuse.
- Sensors: Sun Sensor, Earth Sensor, Inertial Reference Unit (IRU), and Star Sensor for accurate attitude data.
Benefits to India:
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- Broadband Expansion: Enhanced connectivity in urban and rural regions.
- Strategic Connectivity: Improved communication for northeast regions and islands.
- Economic Boost: Supports telecom operators and other users in digital infrastructure development.
International Collaboration:
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- First with SpaceX: Demonstrates India’s growing international space cooperation.
- Falcon-9 History:
- 19th flight for the Falcon-9 booster.
- Previously supported SES-22, HAKUTO-R MISSION 1, Amazonas-6, CRS-27, Bandwagon-1, and 13 Starlink missions.
About SpaceX Falcon-9 Rocket:
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- The SpaceX Falcon 9 is a partially reusable two-stage rocket that can propel both satellites and astronauts into a variety of orbits.
- It can lift up to:
- 22,800 kg to Low Earth Orbit (an altitude of 2000 km or less).
- 8,300 kg to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
- Designed and manufactured by: SpaceX
- The SpaceX Falcon 9 is a partially reusable two-stage rocket that can propel both satellites and astronauts into a variety of orbits.
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