ISRO plans four functional launch pads by 2029; chief Narayanan outlines Gaganyaan roadmap

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan has said that India will expand its space operations significantly with four functional launch pads by 2029.He outlined the agency's roadmap, which includes a 2,000-acre dedicated Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tuticorin district to meet the global demand for satellite deployment.Also Read: Isro returns to the launch pad: The satellite lost in 2021, and the second attempt at itClarifying that the national space agency will not be privatised, Narayanan emphasised that partnering with private firms was essential to meet surging global and domestic demands for thousands of satellites."To handle this expanding ecosystem, ISRO will handhold startups and private enterprises, transferring technological expertise to foster economic growth and generate thousands of high-tech jobs," he said while speaking at a graduation ceremony at a private university here on Saturday.Also Read: ISRO Success Story: Bihar village boy overcomes challenges to secure scientist job while working at IMD- know his journey"India will expand its space operations significantly with four functional launch pads by 2029, supported by an increasing reliance on private industry partnerships to handle commercial operations," Narayanan said.The ISRO chief said that the upcoming Kulasekarapattinam spaceport facility will feature crucial infrastructure such as integration buildings, launch pads, rail-track systems, telemetry, tracking, and command systems.

However, he did not elaborate on the other three proposed launch pads.Stating that ISRO plans to conduct the first uncrewed Gaganyaan test within the next two months, followed by two subsequent uncrewed tests before the crewed mission, he said, "These tests will evaluate environmental control, safety systems, crew escape mechanisms, and module interiors under varying pressure, temperature, and humidity conditions."Also Read: Thousands of ISRO employees question fate, write to chairman amid privatisation pushHe said ISRO successfully conducted approximately 8,000 ground-based experiments for the mission, and four astronaut-designates are currently undergoing specialised training.Looking further ahead, Narayanan revealed plans for Chandrayaan-5, a collaborative lunar mission with Japan's space agency featuring a 350-kg rover designed to conduct 100 days of surface experiments.