First Rocket Launch From Kulasekarapattinam Likely in Next March-April: ISRO Chief
On India's human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, Narayanan said the project was making good progress, with around 8,000 tests completed so far
CHENNAI: The first rocket is likely to be launched from the upcoming spaceport at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district in March or April 2027, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, he said construction of the new launch facility was progressing rapidly.
On India's human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, Narayanan said the project was making good progress, with around 8,000 tests completed so far. Before sending astronauts into space, the Isro plans to conduct three uncrewed spacecraft missions to validate the systems and ensure their safety. The first phase of launch preparations was progressing successfully, he said, adding that the manned mission would follow the successful completion of the uncrewed tests.
He also said work on Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 was continuing and Chandrayaan-4 was scheduled for implementation in 2028. The missions are aimed at taking India's lunar exploration programme to the next level.
Referring to the recent launch of a navigation satellite aboard the GSLV-F18 rocket on October 30, Narayanan said the satellite had been successfully placed in an initial elliptical orbit at an altitude of around 38,000 km. Using its onboard propulsion system, the satellite had subsequently been raised by another 5,500 km, and further manoeuvres were underway to position it in its designated orbit.
He described India's navigation satellite programme as a major success, highlighting its importance in providing precise positioning and timing services.
The technology would have applications in public safety, aircraft landing and take-off operations, maritime navigation and railway operations. At least four satellites are required to provide comprehensive navigation services, he said.
India currently has 56 satellites, but thousands more would be needed in the future to meet the country's growing requirements for communication, navigation, information gathering and monitoring.
Narayanan said that scientific research relating to space and the Sun had generated around 37 terabytes of data so far. These datasets had been made available online for researchers and the public.