BENGALURU: Isro on Thursday said it has received the green light for construction of a third launch platform (TLP) at its Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota from the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project, estimated to cost Rs 3,984.8 crore, will enhance India’s space launch capabilities and support future human spaceflight missions.
The new facility is designed with versatility in mind and is capable of supporting Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV) and LVM3 vehicles with semi-cryogenic stages.
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This strategic expansion comes as India sets its sights on ambitious space goals, including establishing its own space station by 2035 and achieving a manned moon landing by 2040.
“The TLP will be developed with maximum industry participation, leveraging Isro’s extensive experience in previous launch platforms,” read a government statement. The project is scheduled to be completed within 48 months.
TOI first reported about the TLP in October 2024. In an exclusive interview with TOI, then Isro chairman S Somanath said, “Now we only have the second launchpad. The first one was created for PSLV, but not can be used for GSLV since it cannot support the cryogenic stage. When the LVM-3 arrived, we redesigned the second launch pad. Now, the LVM-3 will also have a semi-cryogenic stage, and space flight. manned will initially have to be carried out there.”
Pointing out that the second launch pad has been undergoing several upgrades over the last two decades, Somanath said that in case something happens to the second launch pad – an explosion, for example – there will be no launch pad available for GSLV. , and every The program will freeze.
“The main purpose of the third launch pad is to serve as redundancy. The next is that we are moving towards a new philosophy with the NGLV (next generation launch vehicle); it will be integrated horizontally and tilted, not vertically. The launch pad must support this aspect. The NGLV will be based more on a liquid engine propellant than on a solid engine, so the entire launch pad jet deflector design will also change. not in Mahendragiri.