India will launch a communications satellite with the help of SpaceX, a venture led by billionaire Elon Musk, according to a statement by NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO.
Space X’s Falcon-9 rocket will launch the satellite later this year, marking its first collaboration with India where Musk is also keen on expanding his various enterprises in the country, Reuters reported.
The high-capacity satellite is designed to enhance India’s broadband communication, with a particular focus on improving connectivity in remote and unconnected regions, NSIL said in its statement.
The launch is scheduled for the second quarter of this year, NSIL said.
The satellite weighs 4,700 kg, which exceeds the current highest spacecraft launching capacity of 4,000 kg of India’s space agency ISRO.
Notably, Musk has expressed interest and made efforts to introduce his Starlink satellite broadband service in India.
Further, discussions are underway regarding an investment proposal for Tesla to establish a factory in India for the production of electric vehicles.
However, Musk is facing resistance from certain sectors within the country’s domestic industry, the Reuters report said.
NSIL said it will fully own, operate and fund the GSAT-20 high-throughput satellite, offering a capacity of 48 gigabits per second.