The second spaceport of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which will be dedicated exclusively for Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) developed by the private sector, will come up in about two years at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu.
On October 10, Dr. Pawan Goenka, chairman, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) said, “We are developing a full launch centre in Thoothukudi district, which will be dedicated for SSLV launches. Right now, about 2,000 acres has been acquired and handed over to ISRO. The project team is in place, the budget has been defined, the planning has been done, and we will be taking off in about two years from now.”
Dr. Goenka added that this launch pad will be used only by the private sector. “This is of use only for the private sector because there will be no ISRO rockets launched from there. The SSLV will be completely transferred to the private sector,” Dr. Goenka said.
SSLV is a 3-stage launch vehicle capable of launching approximately 500kg satellites in 500-km planar orbit. According to ISRO, the key features of SSLV are low cost, with low turnaround time, flexibility in accommodating multiple satellites, launch-on-demand feasibility, and minimal launch infrastructure requirements.
Manufacturing park to come up near spaceport
Dr. Goenka also said that a small space manufacturing park would also come up near the spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam.
At present, ISRO has one space station — the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota — with two launch pads from where the rocket launching operations of PSLV and LMV3 are carried out.
