NEW DELHI: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to inaugurate its second spaceport, located in the coastal town of Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, within the next 24 months. This facility will facilitate the maiden launch of a small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) or mini-PSLV, according to ISRO chairman V. Narayanan’s announcement made on Monday. The establishment of this new spaceport is expected to bolster India’s capabilities in the domain of space launch services.
“All facilities will be operational within 24 months, and the first launch is slated for two years from now. However, don’t underestimate its scale; it will be capable of launching a 500 kg satellite,” Narayanan stated in Chennai while inaugurating the S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence for Research in Fluid and Thermal Science at IIT-Madras.
In another notable development, the ISRO chairman revealed on Sunday that the Indian government has authorized the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission, part of the broader objective to have Indian presence on the Moon by 2040. He emphasized the expanding opportunities for India’s lunar exploration and the importance of Chandrayaan-5, which will include a more robust lander crucial for future missions, including potential human landings on the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-4 aims to land and collect samples from the Moon, whereas Chandrayaan-5, which just recently gained approval, will deploy a 350 kg rover. This mission represents a collaborative effort between India and Japan.
Throughout this year, ISRO has scheduled a series of launches, which include the GSLV, a commercial satellite from the United States, and an unmanned test mission featuring a humanoid as part of the Gaganyaan initiative, Narayanan noted.
Prime Minister Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport on February 28, 2024. The strategic choice of this spaceport in Tamil Nadu is aimed at enhancing payload capabilities through direct southward launch trajectories for small launch vehicles. The new port will contain 35 facilities, inclusive of a launchpad, rocket integration structures, ground range and checkout setups, as well as a mobile launch structure (MLS) equipped with checkout computers. It has the capacity to launch 24 satellites annually using a mobile launch structure.
Spanning 2,350 acres, the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport is designed to reduce fuel consumption for small rocket launches, as it can launch directly south over the Indian Ocean without needing to cross landmasses.
