India’s space agency, ISRO, is creating a second space launch site specifically for small satellite rockets. This new spaceport will be in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, and should be ready in about two years.
It’s a big area, about 2,000 acres, already given to ISRO. But here’s the exciting part: this spaceport is just for private companies to launch their rockets. ISRO won’t use it for its own missions.
The star of the show here is the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). It’s a three-stage rocket that can carry small satellites (around 500 kilograms) into space. What makes it special is that it’s cheap, quick to launch, can carry multiple satellites, and doesn’t need a lot of fancy infrastructure.
Dr. Pawan Goenka, the head of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), says they’re also planning a small space manufacturing park near the spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam. So, exciting times ahead for India’s space industry!
