Syllabus :GS 3/Space
In News
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the establishment of the Third Launch Pad (TLP) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
About launchpad
- It refers to a platform or area used to launch rockets or other vehicles into space.
- Currently, India relies on two launch pads: First Launch Pad (FLP) and Second Launch Pad (SLP).
- FLP has been operational for 30 years, supporting PSLV and SSLV.
- SLP, operational for 20 years, primarily supports GSLV and LVM3, and is preparing for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
Third Launch Pad (TLP)
- TLP will be designed to support Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV), LVM3 vehicles with Semi-cryogenic stages, and scaled-up NGLV configurations.
- It will involve significant industry participation and utilize ISRO’s experience from earlier launch pad establishments. The facilities at the existing launch complex will be shared to maximize efficiency.
- Target : The project is targeted to be completed within 48 months (4 years).
- Expenditure: The total fund requirement is Rs. 3984.86 Crore for the establishment of the TLP and associated facilities.
Benefits
- The project will benefit the Indian Space ecosystem by enabling higher launch frequencies and supporting human spaceflight and space exploration missions.
- It will act as a standby launch pad for the Second Launch Pad (SLP) at Sriharikota.
- It will enhance launch capacity for future human spaceflight missions.
| Satish Dhawan Space Center: – SDSC SHAR is located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on a spindle-shaped island between the Pulicat Lake and the Bay of Bengal. – It is the Spaceport of India, a leading centre of ISRO, and provides world-class launch infrastructure for satellite and launch vehicle missions for national and international customers. 1. Renaming: The centre, originally known as SHAR (Sriharikota Range), was renamed in 2002 to honor Prof. Satish Dhawan, former ISRO Chairman. – Operational Launch: SDSC SHAR became operational on October 9, 1971, with the launch of ‘Rohini-125’, a small sounding rocket. – Selection of Sriharikota as the Launch Site: The search for a launch site began in the 1960s under Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of India’s space program. – Reasons for Choosing Sriharikota: East Coast Location facilitates rocket launches eastward, taking advantage of Earth’s rotation to increase payload capacity. 1. Proximity to the Equator enhances launch efficiency for satellites, especially geostationary ones. 2. Safety: Largely uninhabited, the area is close to the sea, allowing rockets to be launched over the ocean, minimizing risk from rocket debris. |
Future Vision
- The expanded vision of the Indian Space Programme includes the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035 and an Indian Crewed Lunar Landing by 2040.
- New, heavier launch vehicles with advanced propulsion systems are required, which cannot be supported by the existing launch pads.
- Establishing the Third Launch Pad is essential to meet future space transportation needs for the next 25-30 years.
| Do you know? – Satish Dhawan was born in Srinagar and he was a renowned Indian rocket scientist, known as the ‘Father of Experimental Fluid Dynamics’ in India. – He succeeded Vikram Sarabhai as ISRO Chairman in 1972. – Under his leadership, ISRO achieved significant milestones, including operational systems like INSAT (telecommunications), IRS (remote sensing), and PSLV, positioning India as a space-faring nation. |
Source :IE
Previous article
Discovery of Semi-Dirac Fermion
Next article
News In Short 18-1-2025
