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ISRO Starts Work on Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport, Sets 2026 Completion Target

The southern Tamil Nadu site enables straight southbound flights that avoid Sri Lanka to improve payload for SSLV-class rockets.

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Overview

  • ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan led a Bhoomi Puja at Kulasekarapattinam on August 27, marking the start of pre-construction for the new launchpad.
  • The agency announced a goal to complete construction by December 2026, with a first launch planned in the fourth quarter of next year.
  • The complex spans about 2,300 acres in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, roughly 650 km south of the Sriharikota spaceport.
  • Operations will focus on the SSLV and sub-500 kg rockets from Indian startups, with an estimated cadence of 20–25 launches per year.
  • ISRO had earlier cleared the site for building Upper Stage Assembly Facilities and a Launch Service Building, positioning the spaceport to complement heavier missions flown from Sriharikota.