GSAT-20 (GSAT-N2 / CMS-03): India’s High-Throughput Communication Satellite

Overview

GSAT-20, officially designated GSAT‑N2 and internally as CMS‑03, is a high-throughput geostationary communications satellite developed by ISRO’s Satellite Centre and Space Applications Centre, and operated by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)  Positioned at 68° East, it serves India’s Smart Cities mission, in-flight connectivity, and broadband expansion efforts, including remote regions like the Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Islands

Specifications & Capabilities

• Launch Mass: ~4,700 kg (~10,360 lb)
• Operational Life: 14 years
• Platform: ISRO’s indigenous I-4K (I‑4000) bus based on Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Polymer structure
• Payload: Ka-band high-throughput (HTS) with 48 Gbps capacity, using 32 spot beams (8 focused on Northeast India, 24 covering the rest of the country), enhanced frequency reuse architecture

Launch Details

• Launch Date: November 18, 2024, 18:30 UTC
• Launch Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, marking ISRO’s first launch on a US rocket
• Orbit: Initially inserted into GTO; later transferred to geostationary orbit at 68°E

Mission Purpose

GSAT‑20 expands India’s digital infrastructure through:

• High-speed broadband and smart services
• Reliable in-flight and rural connectivity
• Enabling remote education, telemedicine, and other e-governance initiatives in underserved regions
• Supporting subscriber-dependent services like Dish TV, contributing to public and private partnerships

Historic Significance

• It is ISRO’s heaviest domestic satellite launched to date
• Represents India’s first commercial satellite launch on a US rocket
• Reflects strategic policy shifts under NSIL’s demand-driven commercialization, following GSAT‑24 (2022.