ISRO’s New Spaceport Set to Launch by 2026
Kulasekarapattinam spaceport to enable 25 annual satellite launches.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is on track to complete its second spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, by December 2026, according to ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan. Speaking after the Bhumi Puja ceremony for the launch pad on Wednesday, Narayanan announced that the facility, sprawling over 2,300 acres in Tuticorin district, is designed to support up to 25 annual launches of Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs), capable of carrying 500 kg payloads to an altitude of 400 km.
Unlike the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLVs) used for heavier payloads and deep space missions at ISRO’s primary spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, the Kulasekarapattinam complex will focus on cost-effective SSLV launches for small satellites, catering to the growing global demand for commercial and on-demand missions. The strategic coastal location allows direct southward trajectories over the Indian Ocean, avoiding the fuel-intensive dogleg maneuver required at Sriharikota to bypass Sri Lanka, thus enhancing payload capacity and reducing costs.
“All construction will be completed by December 2026, with the first rocket launch planned for the fourth quarter of next year,” Narayanan said, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the official launch date. The foundation stone for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle Complex (SLC) was laid by PM Modi via video conferencing in February 2024, marked by the launch of an RH-200 Rohini Sounding Rocket, the first from the site.
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The complex will feature key facilities like the SSLV Assembly Facility (SAF) for vertical rocket assembly and the Satellite Preparation Facility (SPF) for satellite integration. Senior ISRO officials, including Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director A. Rajarajan, attended the ceremony, highlighting the project’s significance for India’s space ambitions.
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