Science Watch | New Spaceports: Making launches cheaper

Gujarat has identified a site for a satellite launch facility on its Saurashtra coastline, between the Union territory of Diu and Kodinar in Gir Somnath district. Science and technology minister Arjun Modhwadia has said that land acquisition and administrative clearances will be initiated “in the near future”.

The launchpad facility would be India’s first orbital launch resource on the west coast and the third spaceport in the country after the long-serving Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh and the upcoming SSLV (small satellite launch vehicle) Launch Complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu. Gujarat’s Arabian Sea frontage opens trajectories suited to geostationary and specialised commercial constellation launches that east coast sites handle less efficiently.

Meanwhile, the spaceport in Tamil Nadu is in a more advanced stage. The SSLV complex in Kulasekarapattinam, a coastal village in Thoothukudi district, was chosen to fix a particular problem. Rockets from Sriharikota heading to polar orbit must curve mid-flight to avoid Sri Lanka, burning extra fuel. From Kulasekarapattinam, launches can head directly south over the Indian Ocean without crossing any land mass, eliminating the detour and recovering payload capacity.

The TN facility spans 2,233 acres and will cost Rs 950 crore. It will house 35 installations, including a launch pad, rocket integration facilities, and a mobile launch structure capable of handling 24 satellite launches a year. Notably, it will also serve private launch firms, part of India’s push to open its space sector to commercial players.