The construction of a third launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, has been approved by the Union Cabinet, which is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This important decision, which was made public on January 16, 2025, has a budget of ₹3,984.86 crore and intends to improve the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) capacity for future space missions.
The new launch pad will increase India’s launch capacity for upcoming human spaceflight missions and other research endeavors by supporting the Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLVs) and acting as a backup for the Second Launch Pad (SLP).
Essential infrastructure such a jet deflector, launch tower, propellant storage, and systems for maintaining liquid methane and cryogenic fuels will be included in the project, which is anticipated to be finished in four years.
This infrastructure will support the larger Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) vehicles in addition to NGLVs. The new pad would greatly increase launch frequencies and help ISRO achieve its lofty goals, which include establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and landing a man on the moon by 2040, said Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The TLP’s design places a strong emphasis on universality and adaptability to satisfy upcoming space exploration needs. ISRO currently runs two launch pads: the SLP, which has been in use for almost 20 years, mostly for larger rockets like GSLV and LVM3, and the First Launch Pad (FLP), which was built 30 years ago for smaller vehicles like PSLV and SSLV.
One important step in strengthening India’s space capabilities is the installation of a third launch pad.
