Union Cabinet gives nod to establish 3rd space launch pad at Sriharikota

The Central government has approved the establishment of a Third Launch Pad (TLP) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, with a budget of ₹3,984.86 crore.

- Mukesh Ranjan @New Delhi

This decision was made by the Union Cabinet on Thursday. The project will enhance the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) ability to launch Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV) and support human spaceflight missions.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the new infrastructure would serve as a backup for the existing Second Launch Pad (SLP) and improve ISRO's overall launch capacity. The TLP will also support future missions requiring heavier and more advanced propulsion systems, including crewed spaceflights and lunar exploration.