On November 29, 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that its advanced communication satellite GSAT-N2 has successfully reached its final geostationary orbit.
The satellite, weighing 4,700 kilograms, is a high-throughput satellite (HTS) operating in the Ka-band with a capacity of 48 Gbps. It is designed to meet broadband and in-flight connectivity needs across India, featuring 32 spot beams that ensure coverage, including remote areas of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
GSAT-N2 was developed by the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre for New Space India Limited (NSIL) with communication payloads from ISRO. It is the second demand-driven communication satellite mission launched by NSIL, a commercial arm of the Indian government under the Department of Space (DOS).
The satellite was successfully launched on November 19, 2024, aboard a Falcon-9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket placed the spacecraft into a super geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) with a perigee of 250 km, an apogee of 59,730 km, and an orbital inclination of 27.5 degrees.
Following separation from the rocket, ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) in Hassan took over operations. Initial data confirmed the satellite's good health and stability.
Using the onboard chemical propulsion system developed by ISRO, the satellite's orbit was gradually raised from GTO to geostationary orbit (GSO). Subsequently, all three reflectors of the antenna were successfully deployed. The final orbit trimming was completed, and the system was safely separated, with sufficient fuel remaining to ensure the satellite's full operational life based on the propulsion system's performance.
ISRO stated that in the coming days, the satellite will undergo ground communication infrastructure checks and detailed in-orbit testing (IOT) to verify the performance of its communication payloads. Operational services are expected to commence from 68 degrees East longitude after successful testing.