ISRO’s Third Launch Pad for Gaganyaan Mission to Be Ready by September 2028: Jitendra Singh Informs Lok Sabha

ISRO to Complete Third Satellite Launch Pad by 2028 for Gaganyaan Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is targeting to complete its third satellite launch pad (TLP) facility by September 2028, as informed by Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Department of Space, during a session in the Lok Sabha.

This new launch pad is crucial to support India’s human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, and will accommodate the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), which is currently under development. The NGLV will carry Gaganyatris—India’s astronauts—into space, and the facility will also be used for launching heavier and strategic satellites. The design of the third launch pad includes support for Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3) with a lift-off mass of up to 4,000 kg, and will feature semicryogenic engine support.

Dr. Singh was responding to a question raised by Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayulu, a Member of Parliament from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). In his reply, the minister stated that the TLP project received financial approval in March 2025. Following this, geo-technical investigations and topography surveys of the proposed site were completed by May 2025. The road and electrical work assessments are currently underway. Several work packages have been identified for different components of the TLP’s development.

As per the government’s plan, civil construction works are expected to be completed by May 2028, while the installation of fluid systems and propellant storage infrastructure is targeted for July 2028. The launch pad systems themselves will be ready by September 2028, and final commissioning of the entire facility is expected by March 2029.

The Department of Space will collaborate with Indian private firms and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to execute the project. This partnership aims to maximize indigenous participation in what is considered a project of national importance. ISRO aims to develop the third launch pad as a strategic backup to the existing second launch pad and prepare for a surge in human spaceflight missions, including possible lunar missions by the end of this decade.

Currently, India has two operational launch pads at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The first launch pad, functional since 1993, primarily supports Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV). The second launch pad, which began operations in 2005, handles heavier launch vehicles such as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and LVM3, along with PSLV. This second pad is also being modified to support Human Rated Launch Vehicles (HRLV) for future manned missions.

However, ISRO officials have indicated that the first launch pad may soon be decommissioned, as it nears the end of its operational life. It is limited in its capacity to launch heavier payloads, making the third launch pad a necessity for the agency’s future ambitions.

The construction of this third pad, which will take approximately six years, reflects India’s commitment to expanding its space infrastructure in line with its growing ambitions in space exploration, defense, and technology leadership.