GSAT-20
{{Short description|Indian communications satellite}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = GSAT-20
| image =
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| mission_type = Communication
| operator = New Space India Limited{{cite web |last=Kumar |first=Chethan |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/space-psu-nsil-to-launch-sat-for-tatasky/articleshow/81081943.cms |title=Space PSU NSIL to launch satellite for TataSky |work=The Times of India |date=18 February 2021 |access-date=22 February 2021}}{{cite web|title=Annual Report 2017-18, Department of Space|url=https://www.isro.gov.in/annual-report-2017-18-english|website=ISRO.gov.in|publisher=Department of Space, Government of India|access-date=13 February 2018|archive-date=14 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214073510/https://www.isro.gov.in/annual-report-2017-18-english|url-status=dead}}
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| mission_duration = Planned: 14 years
Elapsed: {{time interval|18 November 2024 18:30|show=ymd|sep=,}}
| spacecraft_bus = I-3K Bus
| manufacturer = ISRO Satellite Centre
Space Applications Centre
| launch_mass = 4700 kg
| power = 2 solar array batteries
| launch_date = 18 November 2024, 18:30 UTC
| launch_rocket = Falcon 9 Block 5{{Cite web |title=Falcon 9 Block 5 - GSAT-20 |url=https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/NextSpaceflight.com/launches/details/753 |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=nextspaceflight.com |language=en}}
| launch_site = Cape Canaveral, SLC{{nbhyph}}40
| launch_contractor = SpaceX
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| orbit_reference = Geocentric
| orbit_regime = Geostationary
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| orbit_longitude = 68° east
| orbit_slot =
| apsis = gee
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GSAT-20 (also known as CMS-03 or GSAT-N2) is a communication satellite developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO){{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/gsat-9-heralds-cost-saving-electric-propulsion/article18347912.ece |title=GSAT-9 heralds cost-saving electric propulsion |last=D.S |first=Madhumathi |work=The Hindu |access-date=May 27, 2017 |agency=The Hindu |location=Bengaluru |publication-date=May 1, 2017}} and launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9.{{Cite web |title=Falcon 9 Block 5 - GSAT-20 |url=https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/NextSpaceflight.com/launches/details/753 |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=nextspaceflight.com |language=en}} The GSAT-20 satellite is funded, owned and operated by New Space India Limited.{{Cite web |title=News {{!}} NSIL |url=https://www.nsilindia.co.in/news-details/604 |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=www.nsilindia.co.in}} The entire capacity onboard CMS-03 satellite was leased to Dish TV.{{cite web |last=Kumar |first=Chethan |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/space-psu-nsil-to-launch-sat-for-tatasky/articleshow/81081943.cms |title=Space PSU NSIL to launch satellite for TataSky |work=The Times of India |date=18 February 2021 |access-date=22 February 2021}}{{Cite news |date=2024-01-03 |title=Space PSU NSIL to launch GSAT-20 on SpaceX's Falcon 9 this year |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/space-psu-nsil-to-launch-gsat-20-on-spacexs-falcon-9-this-year/articleshow/106494677.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-01-03 |issn=0971-8257}} GSAT-20 is a continuation of GSAT series of communication satellites. The satellite is intended to add data transmission capacity to the communication infrastructure required by Smart Cities Mission of India.
Payload
The satellite features a Ka-band high-throughput communications payload with {{nobr|70 Gbit/s}}{{Cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/isros-gsat-trio-to-usher-in-high-speed-internet-era-4660849/ |title=ISRO's GSAT-trio to usher in high-speed internet era |last=Nair |first=Avinash |work=The Indian Express |access-date=May 27, 2017 |publication-place=Ahmedabad |publication-date=May 17, 2017}} throughput utilizing 40 beams offering HTS capacity of nearly {{nobr|48 Gbit/s}}.{{Cite web |url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/gsat-20.htm |title=GSAT-20|website=space.skyrocket.de|access-date=27 May 2017}} Each beam has 2 polarisations, effectively making them 80 beams.{{Cite web |url=http://c.mi.com/thread-225508-1-0.html |title=India to enter high-speed internet era with Isro's new satellites |last=Vasudeva |first=Akshay |date=May 22, 2017 |publisher=mi.com |location=India |access-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121071302/http://c.mi.com/thread-225508-1-0.html |archive-date=January 21, 2018 |url-status=dead }}
Launch
The satellite was initially expected to be launched in 2024 on an LVM 3,{{cite web |url=https://www.livemint.com/science/news/isro-planning-to-launch-second-development-sslv-flight-in-feb-s-somanath-11672838016053.html |title=ISRO planning to launch second development SSLV flight in Feb: S Somanath |work=Mint |date=4 January 2023 |access-date=6 January 2023 |quote=To facilitate in-flight connectivity for automobile services using the Ka-band the space agency is planning to launch the GSAT-20 high throughput satellite next year.}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/coming-soon-higher-internet-speeds/article25498231.ece|title=Coming soon, higher internet speeds|work=@businessline|access-date=2018-11-16|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/annualreport2018-19.pdf|title=Annual Report 2018|publisher=ISRO|access-date=28 May 2019|archive-date=28 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528045559/https://www.isro.gov.in/sites/default/files/annualreport2018-19.pdf|url-status=dead}} but shifted to Falcon 9 due to the satellite being 700 kg overweight for a successful launch on indigenous platforms.{{Cite web |title=Falcon 9 Block 5 {{!}} GSAT-20 |url=https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/NextSpaceflight.com/launches/details/753 |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=nextspaceflight.com |language=en |url-status=dead}}
Hence, the commercial arm of ISRO, New Space India Limited signed a contract with SpaceX for a possible liftoff in the second quarter of 2024. The SpaceX deal is significant because India had previously relied on the France-led Arianespace consortium to launch its heavy communication satellites, including the now-retired Ariane 5, which ISRO was hoping to use as a backup. The fact that the next few launches of the Ariane 6, its successor having been both booked and delayed for launch, ISRO turned to SpaceX. India's own rockets lack the capacity for launching very heavy satellites to the geostationary orbit beyond 4-ton class, a problem that is planned to be fixed with the introduction of the NGLV.{{Cite web |title=In A 1st, India To Launch Its Big Communications Satellite On SpaceX Rocket |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/in-a-first-india-to-launch-its-satellite-on-spacexs-falcon-9-rocket-4792333 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=NDTV.com}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2024-01-03 |title=ISRO's commercial arm to launch GSAT-20 satellite on SpaceX's Falcon-9 in 2024 |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/isros-commercial-arm-to-launch-gsat-20-satellite-on-spacexs-falcon-9-in-2024/article67700823.ece |access-date=2024-01-03 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}
See also
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{GSAT Satellites}}
{{Indian spacecraft}}
{{Future spaceflights}}