Jio to Send Satellites Into Space for Testing in September 2027
Reliance Jio is gearing up to enter India’s satellite internet business and intends to launch its first test satellite in September 2027. Jio has applied for slots from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for satellite launches and has received the green signal from IN-SPACe.
The space launch by Reliance Jio is scheduled for precisely one year from now. In recent years, the business has been diligently pursuing the required permits and approvals. In order to reserve launch slots for its satellites, Jio has now applied to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
The first launch into orbit for Jio will be a small test satellite in September 2027. Before launching on a large scale, Jio will conduct this test to ensure that all of its software, hardware, and other technologies are working as intended.
Jio Aiming For Large Scale Operation in Space
In all, Reliance Jio intends to launch more than 1600 satellites to round out its network. But that's still about ten years away, so there's plenty of time. Jio intends to launch 400–450 satellites by 2030. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center (IN-SPACe) has also given its clearance to Jio. This is the Indian government agency in charge of regulating space activities, including satcom (satellite communications). Using the satellites, Jio plans to provide high-speed internet access to areas that are now unconnected. Jio plans to launch satellites into orbit with data transfer rates of 100–150 Gbps per satellite.
A total throughput of 4-4.8 Tbps will be achieved once the constellation is fully operational. This is greater than that of Starlink, which has submitted an application for 600 Gbps throughput, and Amazon Leo, which has submitted an application for a constellation with a throughput exceeding 3 Tbps over India. In addition, Jio's satellites will be somewhat farther away from the ground than rivals like Starlink. The spokesperson from the corporation told ET that no other company was targeting this particular distance. It is typically preferable for satellites in LEO (low-earth orbit) to be located closer to the ground.
India Delays Jio, Starlink and OneWeb Satcom Launches
Government officials and business executives in India have said that security concerns and a lack of trust in international satellite operators have delayed the commercial introduction of satellite internet services, even though India issued the first licence for them over four years ago. Satellite operators' potential to divert internet traffic away from Indian gateways and toward foreign infrastructure is a source of concern for the government.
Despite satcom providers assuring law enforcement agencies they possess the necessary equipment to prevent gateway bypass in India, this remains the case. The operators have also finished security trials, adjusted their systems to meet Indian standards, and promised to comply, according to an executive in the business. However, the executive said that the Department of Telecoms (DoT) has not provided any updates on the approval status, additional clarity, or spectrum assignment in the past few months.
