India is set to expand its space operations significantly by operating four functional launch pads by 2029, announced by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V Narayanan.
Speaking at a university graduation ceremony, Narayanan detailed the agency’s strategic expansion to meet surging global and domestic satellite demands.
Key to this roadmap is a dedicated 2,000-acre Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin district. The new spaceport will feature integration buildings, launch pads, rail systems, and advanced telemetry tracking infrastructure.
Clarifying that ISRO will not be privatised, Narayanan emphasised that partnering with private firms and startups is essential to transfer technology and generate thousands of high-tech jobs.
On upcoming milestones, the ISRO chief announced that the first uncrewed Gaganyaan test flight will take place within the next two months, followed by two additional uncrewed missions ahead of the crewed launch. Around 8,000 ground experiments have been completed, with four astronaut-designates currently undergoing specialised training.
Looking further ahead, Narayanan revealed details regarding Chandrayaan-5—a joint lunar mission with Japan featuring a 350-kg rover designed to execute 100 days of surface experiments on the Moon.
