Reliance Jio gets IN-SPACe approval for 1,600-satellite LEO network

Key facts

• The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) granted technical clearance to Reliance Jio's proposed 1,600-satellite Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation.
• The technical evaluation was carried out in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• The satellite network is designed to achieve an overall throughput of 4.5–5 terabits per second (Tbps).
• Reliance Jio plans to establish 20 to 22 ground stations across India to support the satellite network.
• Discussions are reportedly underway to accommodate defence-related payloads on the satellites for national security applications.
• The project still requires government support for filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and coordination with global satellite operators to avoid radio frequency interference.