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Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport

Coordinates: 8°26′23″N 78°04′33″E / 8.4398°N 78.0759°E / 8.4398; 78.0759
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Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport
Map
LocationKulasekarapattinam, Thoothukkudi district, Tamil Nadu, India
Short nameKPSP or KSP
OperatorISRO
Launch pad(s)One
Launch history
StatusUnder Construction
Launch history
Associated
rockets		SSLV

8°26′23″N 78°04′33″E / 8.4398°N 78.0759°E / 8.4398; 78.0759 Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport is the second spaceport of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), located in Kulasekarapattinam, a coastal village in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, India.[1][2][3][4] The facility is being constructed over 2,350 acres. As of September 2023, more than 90% of land has been acquired and the groundbreaking was done on 28 February 2024.[5][6][7]

Location

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The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has operated the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota as its primary launch site since 1971.[8] Its location on the Bay of Bengal provides a good launch azimuth corridor and ensures safety through rockets launched over the ocean. However, the launch corridor is inefficient for smaller rockets carrying payloads to a polar orbit (circling the Earth above the poles), since the island nation of Sri Lanka is directly to the South of Sriharikota. To avoid the risk of flying over another country, payloads for polar orbits are launched towards the East and follow a curved path to the South to avoid Sri Lanka's landmass. This maneuver is known as a Dogleg maneuver.

Depiction of the Dogleg maneuver, which is inefficient for smaller rockets such as the SSLV. This problem will be resolved by launching rockets from the new Spaceport, bypassing the Sri Lankan landmass in its entirety.

The dogleg maneuver utilizes significant amounts of fuel in smaller rockets. Small rockets, such as the SSLV, are specifically designed to efficiently launch smaller payloads. The additional fuel consumption for the curved trajectory compromises the rocket's cost and payload efficiency.[9] To avoid this problem, ISRO is developing the Kulasekharapatnam Spaceport for launching payloads to polar orbits. Given its location, launches from Kulasekharapatnam can be launched directly South over the Indian Ocean without crossing any landmass for thousands of miles.[5][10]

History

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In 2011, a requirement for a new launch facility at Satish Dhawan Space Centre was expressed to meet future demands and as a redundancy for the existing facilities.[11] Following this, in 2013 Kulasekarapattinam was proposed as a potential site for this launch facility by parliamentarians from the state of Tamil Nadu, citing advantages such as location, weather and proximity to ISRO facilities like LPSC.[12][13][14][15]

However, due to programmatic delays the Third Launch Pad project was deprioritized[16][17] as requirements to establish a new launch facility were not being met and existing facilities were augmented instead.[18][19][20]

After ISRO began pursuing Small Satellite launch Vehicle (SSLV) project in 2017, the old proposal of Kulasekarapattinam launch site became relevant again. After considering another site on the western coast near the state of Gujarat, Kulasekarapattinam was eventually selected as the site for the SSLV Launch Complex.[21][22][23] A site survey began in May 2019 and around 2,500 acres of land were identified for acquisition.[24][25] The land acquisition process for the launch facility began in November 2019.[26][27]

On 28 February 2024, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of the new facility, with an area of 2,233 acres in the Padukkapathu, Pallakurichi, and Mathavankurichi villages in the Kulasekarapattinam and Sathankulam taluks of the Tuticorin district. The state government of Tamil Nadu completed the land acquisition for project which will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 950 crore and aiming for readiness by 2026.[28][29][30]

To mark the occasion ISRO launched a RH-200 Rohini Sounding Rocket from the launch complex at 13:40 (IST) on 28 February 2024. This was the first rocket launch from the spaceport. VSSC provided the rocket and the meteorological payload, while SDSC installed launch facilities including radars, launchers, and electronic systems.[31][32]

Facilities

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This spaceport will provide launchpads and support facilities for ISRO missions carrying payloads into polar orbits.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "তামিলনাড়ুতে দ্বিতীয় মহাকাশ বন্দর বানাচ্ছে ইসরো, জমি অধিগ্রহণ প্রায় শেষ" (in Bengali). www.anandabazar.com. Anandabazar. 14 July 2021. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  2. ^ "ISRO's Second Spaceport, for New SSLV Rocket, to Come up in Tamil Nadu". science.thewire.in. The Wire - Science. 1 December 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  3. ^ T.K. Rohit (17 March 2022). "Kulasekarapattinam to be on global scientific map". www.thehindu.com. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Department of Space, Annual Report 2020-2021" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2022. SSLV Launch Complex- The Indian Launch Vehicle Programme has attained a level of maturity today to launch 4.5 t class of satellites to GTO through GSLV MkIII. To meet the current market demands of small satellite launches, ISRO is developing a new generation launch vehicle called Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) capable of injecting small satellites (up to 500 kg) into 500 km circular Low Earth Orbit. Existing launch pads at SDSC SHAR Viz., First Launch Pad (FLP) and Second Launch Pad (SLP) are lined up for meeting launch demands of PSLV, GSLV & GSLV Mk-III launches, thus realisation of exclusive launch pad for SSLV is inevitable. Proposed SSLV Launch Site will meet the demands of launching SSLV launch vehicle at shorter interval.
  5. ^ a b Sidharth MP (21 July 2022). "Why is India building a new spaceport in Tamil Nadu?". www.wionews.com. Wion News. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  6. ^ Surendra Singh (2 December 2019). "India to get its second spaceport, land acquisition work begins in Tamil Nadu". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Times of India. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  7. ^ Ramesh, M. (10 September 2023). "ISRO's New Rocket Facility Raises Concerns in Kulasekarapattinam". BusinessLine. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Govt may set up new rocket launch pad near Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu". www.business-standard.com. Business Standard. 29 November 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  9. ^ "ISRO new launchpad in Tamil Nadu to save fuel, increase payload capacity". www.indiatvnews.com. India TV News. 29 June 2020. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  10. ^ a b U Tejonmayam (28 June 2020). "New launch pad in Tamil Nadu to help Isro save fuel". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  11. ^ "12th Five Year Plan of Department of Space Report of Working Group (WG-14)" (PDF). October 2011. pp. 84, 106. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2016.
  12. ^ "Fifteenth Series, Vol. XXXVII, Fifteenth Session, 2014/1935 (Saka) No. 12, Thursday, February 06, 2014/Magha 17, 1935 (Saka)" (PDF). 6 February 2014. p. 44. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Parliamentary Debates Rajya Sabha: Official Report Vol. 233 No. 13" (PDF). 10 December 2014. p. 484. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2024.
  14. ^ karthikeyan, k (13 November 2013). "Kulasekarapattinam's ideal launch pad". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Ex-scientist of ISRO bats for Kulasekarapattinam". Deccan Chronicle. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ "Two Hundred Ninety Eighth Report Demands For Grants (2017-2018) Of The Department of Space (Demand No. 91)" (PDF). 31 March 2017. pp. 16, 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 April 2017.
  17. ^ "ISRO proposes to set up a new launch pad, referred as Third Launch Pad, at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota". pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1725" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2379" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  20. ^ "Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1429" (PDF).
  21. ^ "ISRO's Second Spaceport, for New SSLV Rocket, to Come up in Tamil Nadu". The Wire. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  22. ^ Peri, Dinakar (21 September 2018). "ISRO setting up launch pad for Gaganyaan mission". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1733" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  24. ^ "Villagers oppose land acquisition for Isro rocket launch pad at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu". The Times of India. 3 June 2019. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  25. ^ Reporter, Staff (30 September 2019). "Kudimaramathu work will be completed before Oct. 10: Collector". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Land acquisition underway for 2nd rocket port in Tuticorin". 5 March 2020. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  27. ^ "Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1240" (PDF).
  28. ^ "Modi to lay foundation stone for Kulasekarapattinam spaceport on February 28". The Hindu. 21 February 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  29. ^ Sivapriyan, E. T. B. "PM Modi to lay foundation for ISRO's second spaceport on February 28". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  30. ^ Ramesh, M. (10 September 2023). "ISRO's New Rocket Facility Raises Concerns in Kulasekarapattinam". www.thehindubusinessline.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  31. ^ "Rohini Sounding Rocket to be launched from Kulasekarapattinam". The Hindu. 27 February 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  32. ^ "Honourable Prime Minister Lays the Foundation Stone for India's Second Spaceport". www.isro.gov.in. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
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