Reportedly the indian space research organisation (ISRO) has begun work on its second rocket launching pad or spaceport, which will be Thoothukudi in Tamilnadu. Meanwhile ISRO’s second spaceport will be around 2,300 acres in size, smaller than the first port in Sriharikota, andhra pradesh, which is 145 square kilometres in area and 27 kilometres in coastal length.

 

Furthermore Union minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space, jitendra singh told the rajya sabha on november 28 that the central government has a proposal to set up a rocket launching pad near Kulasekarapattinam in Tamilnadu. When speaking to news agency, Thoothukudi district collector sandeep Nanduri said, “The process for acquiring land for the rocket launching pad has begun. The land requirement will be about 2,300 acres. The project activity is expected to begin in six months.” The first such launch will have the payload capacity of around 500 kg and will happen in the first three months of 2020 from Sriharikota, and later, from Thoothukudi.

 

Moreover K Sivan said that Thoothukudi’s proximity to the seashore makes it ideal for “straight southward” launches. Perhaps from Sriharikota, such southward bound launches are not possible as the rockets have to fly around Sri Lanka. The fact that rockets will be able to have a straight trajectory from Thoothukudi will also allow them to carry heavier payloads. Apparently a spaceport in Thoothukudi district would be ideal for putting satellites in the polar orbit normally undertaken through a Polar Sattelite Launch Vehicle or PSLV rocket but not for satellites with geostationary orbits launched by GSLV rockets. Perhaps the Sriharikota spaceport was also chosen for its proximity to the sea. Safety reasons, too, were factored in while choosing the location.

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