ISRO plans four operational launch pads by 2029, says chairman V Narayanan

CHENNAI: India plans to have four functional launch pads by 2029 as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) expands its launch infrastructure and strengthens partnerships with private companies, Chairman V Narayanan has said.

Speaking at a university graduation ceremony on Saturday, Narayanan outlined plans for a dedicated 2,000-acre Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district. The facility is intended to support growing domestic and international demand for satellite launches.

The proposed complex will include integration buildings, launch pads, rail-track systems and telemetry, tracking and command infrastructure. Narayanan did not specify the locations or timelines for the other three launch pads.

He also ruled out privatisation of ISRO, saying collaboration with private companies and startups would be essential to meet the growing demand for satellite deployment. The agency would support private enterprises by sharing technical expertise and helping develop capabilities, he said, adding that the expansion could generate thousands of high-skilled jobs.

On the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, Narayanan said ISRO planned to conduct its first uncrewed test within the next two months, followed by two more uncrewed missions before the crewed flight.

The tests will assess safety systems, environmental controls, crew escape mechanisms and the spacecraft’s performance under different pressure, temperature and humidity conditions. He said around 8,000 ground-based experiments had been conducted for the programme, while four astronaut-designates were undergoing specialised training.

Narayanan also outlined plans for Chandrayaan-5, a joint 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 100 days.