Cabinet Approves 3rd Launchpad for ISRO’s New Generation Rockets

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for the construction of the third launch pad of the Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO) which will be equipped to launch the future human space flight of ISRO and its next generation rockets.

The approval was given by the Union Cabinet in a meeting held in New Delhi and chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Where will be the 3rd Launch Pad constructed?

The launch pad will be constructed at the existing Space port of India-Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota,Andhra Pradesh. The Satish Dhawan Space center already has two functional launch pads from where rockets are launched in space.

Budget of the Third Launch Pad

The government of India has approved a budget of Rs 3984.86 crore. The project is expected to be completed within 48 months or 4 years.

Launch Pad of ISRO

The Indian space programme started with the launch of sounding rockets from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launch Station (TERLS), Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala  on 21 November 1963.

With the formation of ISRO in 1969 and expansion in the Indian space programme a need was felt to construct a new launch pad to launch heavier rockets.

The Satish Dhawan Space Center was set up in the islands of  Sriharikotta,Andhra Pradesh. 

The first rocket- a sounding rocket RH -125 was launched in 1971.

At present the Center has two functional launch pads from where rockets are launched in space.

First Launch Pad 

• The first launch pad was built in the early 1990s and the first launch took place on 20th September 1993.
• The launch pad is capable of launching Polar Satellite Launch vehicle (PSLV) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).

Second Launch Pad

• The second launch pad became operational in 2005.
• The second launch pad is used to launch Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)  and LVM3(Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk III). Both these rockets use cryogenic engines .
• The second launch pad is also used as a stand by for PSLV rockets.
• Chandrayaan -3 mission was also launched from the second launch pad.

Requirement of Third Launch Pad

• The Government of India has set an ambitious target for the Indian Space programme during the Amrit Kaal. 
• It includes establishing an operational Bharatiya Antriksh Station by 2035 and a manned mission to Moon by 2040.
• ISRO needs a new generation of heavier rockets with a new generation of propulsion system. The other two existing launch pads of the ISRO are not capable of launching these new classes of  rockets.
• Thus the third launch pad is being constructed at the Satish Dhawan Space Center.