India plans to expand its space operations to four functional launch pads by 2029, with a dedicated Small Satellite Launch Vehicle complex being developed across 2,000 acres at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin district, ISRO chairman V. Narayanan said on Saturday.
The Kulasekarapattinam spaceport will be designed to support the growing demand for satellite launches and commercial space operations. According to Narayanan, the facility will include launch pads, integration buildings, rail-track systems and telemetry, tracking and command infrastructure. He did not provide details of the locations or status of the other three launch pads planned for India.
Narayanan outlined the expansion while speaking at a private university’s graduation ceremony. He said the Indian Space Research Organisation would increasingly work with private companies to meet demand for satellite launches and related commercial operations.
The ISRO chairman clarified that the organisation would not be privatised. Instead, he said ISRO would support startups and private enterprises through technology transfers. The stated objective is to expand the country’s high-technology industrial base, create thousands of jobs and contribute to economic growth around the emerging space sector.
The proposed facility at Kulasekarapattinam is intended specifically for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle, or SSLV. The vehicle is designed for the launch of smaller satellites, and the dedicated complex is expected to provide infrastructure for launch preparation, vehicle integration, tracking and command operations. The announcement did not specify the project’s construction cost, contracting model or completion milestones beyond the 2029 target for four functional launch pads.
Narayanan also provided an update on India’s human spaceflight programme. ISRO plans to conduct the first uncrewed Gaganyaan test within two months, followed by two additional uncrewed missions before astronauts are sent into space. The missions will assess environmental control systems, safety systems, crew escape mechanisms and spacecraft interiors under varying pressure, temperature and humidity conditions.
He said ISRO had completed around 8,000 ground-based experiments for Gaganyaan. Four astronaut-designates are undergoing specialised training as part of the programme. The uncrewed missions are intended to test the systems and operating conditions required before the crewed phase of the programme.
Narayanan also outlined plans for Chandrayaan-5, a joint lunar mission with Japan’s space agency. The mission is expected to carry a 350-kg rover that will conduct experiments on the Moon’s surface for 100 days.
The launch-pad expansion, the Kulasekarapattinam complex and the proposed increase in private-sector participation point to a broader expansion of India’s space infrastructure. The immediate implementation details available from the announcement are limited to the 2,000-acre site, the planned SSLV facilities and the 2029 target for four functional launch pads. Further information on the other launch-pad locations, project financing and construction schedules has not been provided.
