Chennai, Oct 26:
India plans to expand its space operations significantly, with four functional launch pads expected to be ready by 2029, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan has said. The expansion will involve greater participation from private enterprises to meet the growing domestic and global demand for satellite launches.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony at a private university in Chennai on Saturday, Narayanan said ISRO would continue to remain a government space agency and would not be privatised. However, partnerships with private companies and startups would be essential to handle the increasing volume of commercial space operations.
A major component of the expansion is a dedicated Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) complex spread over 2,000 acres at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district. The facility is expected to cater to the growing global demand for small satellite launches. The proposed spaceport will have integration buildings, launch pads, rail-track systems and telemetry, tracking and command facilities. Narayanan did not provide details of the other three proposed launch pads.
He said ISRO would support startups and private enterprises by transferring technological expertise and providing assistance to develop their capabilities. Greater private-sector participation is expected to generate high-technology employment opportunities while strengthening India’s position in the commercial space market.
On the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, Narayanan said the first uncrewed test flight was planned within the next two months, followed by two more uncrewed missions before the crewed flight. The tests will assess environmental control systems, crew safety, escape mechanisms and the spacecraft’s performance under different pressure, temperature and humidity conditions.
ISRO has conducted around 8,000 ground-based experiments for the Gaganyaan programme, while four astronaut-designates are undergoing specialised training. Narayanan also announced plans for Chandrayaan-5, a collaborative lunar mission with Japan’s space agency. The mission is expected to feature a 350-kg rover designed to conduct scientific experiments on the lunar surface over a period of 100 days.