ISRO to begin work on second launchpad soon; TN plans space park

Chennai: As the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) prepares to begin work on building the country’s second spaceport dedicated for launching small satellites in Thoothukudi district, the Tamil Nadu government plans to set up a Space Industrial Park and Propellants Park close to the facility to create an ecosystem for the Space Industry in the region.

Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has initiated the process of setting up space thematic industrial parks near Kulasekarapattinam, a coastal town located 52 km from the port city of Thoothukudi, where the spaceport for launching Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) will come up.

TIDCO has engaged KPMG to conduct a feasibilty study on setting up of the space parks.

The state government has almost completed the land acquisition for the Rs 950-crore project by acquiring over 2,200 of the 2,300 acres of land sought by ISRO in Padukkapathu, Pallakurichi, and Mathavankurichi villages in Kulasekarapattinam and Sathankulam taluks in the district. The remaining land will be acquired “very soon”, a government source told DH.

The new spaceport is expected to provide job opportunities to locals and infuse development in and around the coastal town, known for its Dussehra celebrations.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath, during a meeting with Chief Minister M K Stalin earlier this week, sought necessary approvals for electricity and water to enable the agency launch construction of the new spaceport at the earliest.

A spaceport at Kulasekarapattinam will help save fuel as satellites launched from here can directly travel towards south unlike those launched from Sriharikota which fly in the southeast direction after liftoff from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre to avoid flying over Sri Lanka and takes a sharp manoeuvre towards the South Pole, officials said.

With the global small satellite market is projected to grow at a rapid pace across the globe, the state government wants to tap the potential that the new spaceport will bring. The Space Industrial Park envisages attracting space-related manufacturing and research and development (R&D) firms, the Propellants Park will focus on propellant production, crucial for rocket launches, and related services.

B Krishnamoorthy, Project Director, TIDCO, told DH that the space park with common facility is capable of supporting upstream, midstream, and downstream industries that will lead to creation of a vibrant ecosystem in the region.

Tamil Nadu, which leads the country with the highest number of factories at 38,837, has a vibrant presence of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) forming the backbone of the state’s economy.

“The consultant will study the demand assessment for space park and propellent park as several countries and firms are into launching small satellites for varied purposes. This project will revolutionize small satellite launches, providing cost-effective and efficient solutions, thus fostering a conducive environment for satellite start-ups,” Krishnamoorthy said.

With state-of-the-art facilities, research centres, and skilled manpower, the park will enables space organizations to have easier access to reliable, high-quality components and subsystems, further reinforcing Tamil Nadu's significance in the global space supply chain, he added.