ISRO and SpaceX seal mega deal to launch India’s most advanced satellite

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has entered into a significant collaboration with SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk. SpaceX will launch India's most advanced communication satellite, GSAT-20 (GSAT N-2), aboard its Falcon 9 rocket early next week from Cape Canaveral, USA.

This partnership comes as part of a growing series of collaborations between ISRO and SpaceX. The GSAT-N2 satellite, weighing 4,700 kg, is too heavy for India's current rockets to carry into orbit. India’s own "Bahubali" rocket, the GSLV Mk-III, has a payload capacity of only 4,000 to 4,100 kg, making it unsuitable for this mission. Until recently, India relied on Arianespace for launching heavy satellites, but with Arianespace currently lacking operational rockets, SpaceX has become the most reliable alternative. Chinese rockets are not an option due to geopolitical tensions, and Russia, once a key partner, is no longer able to provide launch services due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

This leaves SpaceX as the most feasible and dependable choice for launching India’s heavy satellites. This collaboration between ISRO and SpaceX highlights the shifting landscape of space exploration, with international partnerships becoming more crucial in the face of limited domestic options for heavy satellite launches.