Tuticorin site coming up as new rocket luanching base

Rockets will begin lifting off from Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu from early 2027, marking a major expansion of the country’s launch infrastructure and positioning the southern coast as a hub for small satellite missions.

- HD Bureau

The announcement was made by ISRO chairman V Narayanan during an interaction with reporters at the INS Kattabomman facility, where he said construction of the second spaceport is progressing steadily and on schedule.

The facility, located in the Tuticorin district, is being developed to support launches of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle, a rocket designed to place payloads of up to 500 kg into low-Earth orbit. The project was initiated in 2023 under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with land acquisition and core infrastructure work moving ahead in phases.

According to officials familiar with the programme, the site’s coastal geography allows for safer launch trajectories over the Bay of Bengal, reducing risk to populated areas and improving operational efficiency.