SpaceX to Launch ISRO’s GSAT-20 at Midnight

Space enthusiasts in India who are eager to watch the historic launch of the country’s first government satellite aboard a SpaceX rocket will need to stay up late tonight, Monday, November 18th. The GSAT-20 satellite (also known as GSAT-N2) is scheduled for liftoff at 18:31 UTC from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as confirmed by Dr. S. Somanath, Chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). For those following from India, the launch will occur at 00:01 hours on November 19th, Tuesday. If the launch is delayed, a backup date is set for 09:33 UTC on November 19th (15:03 IST).

The GSAT-20, a 4.7-ton satellite built by ISRO, is a high-capacity communication satellite designed to provide broadband services across India and nearby islands, including the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep archipelagos. Positioned 36,000 km above Earth’s surface, it will cover the entire Indian mainland. The satellite is operated by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), a commercial arm of ISRO, and will become the twelfth communication satellite in their fleet.

GSAT-20, which operates in the Ka-band spectrum, will have a capacity of 48 Gbps, most of which has already been allocated to Indian service providers, though their identities have not been disclosed.

Because GSAT-20 exceeds the lifting capacity of India’s current rockets, the satellite will be launched aboard a foreign vehicle. ISRO’s rockets, such as the GSLV and LVM3, can handle payloads up to 4,000 kg to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), but GSAT-20 weighs 4,700 kg. Historically, India has relied on European Ariane rockets for such missions, but with the retirement of Ariane 5 and delays in the Ariane 6’s operational readiness, SpaceX has emerged as a reliable alternative.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry the GSAT-20, is a reusable two-stage rocket known for its cost-efficiency. The Falcon 9 has successfully completed over 394 missions and can lift payloads of up to 22,800 kg into low Earth orbit. This makes it the most frequently launched rocket in SpaceX’s fleet, which also includes the Falcon Heavy and the upcoming Starship Heavy, the largest rocket ever.

This launch marks a significant step in Indo-US space cooperation. Although this is the first Indian government satellite to be launched by SpaceX, several private Indian satellites have already been launched on Falcon 9. Additionally, India is collaborating with Axiom to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) next year, using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon spacecraft. This mission is part of India’s plans to develop its own human spaceflight program and offers valuable experience for future space missions.