How special is Musk's Falcon 9 rocket, know why it became ISRO's first choice

Isro And Elon Musk News: India's premier space research organization, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), and Elon Musk's American aerospace company, SpaceX, are planning a satellite launch together. This is the first commercial partnership of the two organizations and is considered a historic achievement for the Indian space program. Under this partnership, India's communication satellite GSAT-20 will be launched on November 19, 2024 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, via SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

GSAT-20: A new direction for the Indian communications sector

GSAT-20, also known as GSAT-N2, is designed to improve India's communication system. The satellite weighs 4,700 kg and has a K-band high-throughput communication payload, which will work for 14 years. Its main objective is to enhance internet connectivity and communication services in remote areas of India.

The weight of this satellite is more than the capacity of ISRO's LVM-3 rocket, which can send a maximum of 4,000 kg of payload to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). This is the reason why ISRO had to partner with SpaceX to launch this satellite.

Falcon 9 Rocket: Both Technical and Economical

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has become a major choice for space missions. Its biggest feature is its reusability. This rocket can reuse its first stage by bringing it back to Earth, which greatly reduces the cost of the mission. Apart from this, the payload capacity of the Falcon 9 rocket is also very large, making it an ideal choice for this mission. This rocket is capable of carrying up to 22,800 kg of payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 8,300 kg of payload to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

Why was SpaceX chosen?

ISRO had previously taken services from European Arianespace for its heavy satellites, but currently Arianespace lacks operational rockets. Also, due to global geopolitical conditions and tensions with Russia-China, SpaceX was seen as the most suitable option. This partnership will add new dimensions to India's space program and communication services.

New satellite services

With the help of GSAT-20 satellite, internet connectivity and in-flight internet services will be provided in remote areas in India. This satellite will have 32 user beams, including eight narrow beams and 24 comprehensive beams. These beams will be supported by hub stations located in different parts of India, which will improve the quality of communication services.

Another historic mission in 2025

The collaboration between ISRO and SpaceX is not limited to this satellite launch only. There is a plan to send Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2025. Although these missions will not be carried out by SpaceX, they will be carried using SpaceX's Dragon capsule. This is another example of how India and SpaceX are working together to achieve new heights in space exploration.

Conclusion

This partnership between ISRO and SpaceX is an important milestone not only for India's space program but also for the global space industry. The use of the Falcon 9 rocket and the launch of the GSAT-20 satellite can start a new revolution in the Indian communications sector. This collaboration will provide India with new technological capabilities that will further strengthen the country's space power.