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Prime Minister recently laid the foundation stone of ISRO’s second rocket launchport at Kulasekarapattinam.
Costing Rs 986 crore, this facility, strategically located in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, will primarily serve commercial, on-demand, and small satellite launches in the future.

About Kulasekarapattinam

It will be second after Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Sriharikota Range (SHAR)), founded in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota in 1971, with two launch pads.
It will focus on the launch of Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) on a commercial basis.
It would have the capacity to launch 24 satellites per year using a mobile launch structure.
It strategic location helps save fuel for small rocket launches as the port can launch rockets directly south over the Indian Ocean without requiring crossing landmasses.

Fuel Saving: This is unlike the existing launch site at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, which adds more fuel requirements for launching into a polar orbit as rockets need to follow a curved path to the south to avoid Sri Lanka’s landmass.
Unburdening SHAR: The opening of the space sector to private players necessitates a rise in commercial launches, prompting ISRO to build a second launchport to alleviate the burden on the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR in Sriharikota.
Dedicated Launch for Small Payloads: While SHAR handles larger missions, Kulasekarapattinam launchport will cater exclusively to smaller payloads, including those for commercial purposes and on-demand launches.

Strategic Location: Kulasekarapattinam provides a natural advantage for ISRO’s future launches, especially for the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), due to its geographical, scientific, and strategic positioning.
Optimized Trajectory: The launch trajectory from Kulasekarapattinam enables a direct southward path for SSLVs, minimizing fuel consumption compared to launches from SHAR, which currently follow longer trajectories.

Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV): SSLV is designed to launch small satellites weighing between 10 to 500kg into Low Earth Orbit, catering to commercial and on-demand launches.
Mission Successes: SSLV-D1’s launch in August 2022 failed to achieve the intended orbit, but SSLV-D2’s success in February 2023 marked a significant milestone for ISRO’s SSLV program.