PM Modi to inaugurate Isro's second spaceport in Tamil Nadu on Feb 28

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (Isro) second spaceport in Tamil Nadu's Kulasekaranpattinam on February 28, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said.

The first spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, is located in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota.

"The foundation ceremony is going to be held on February 28. PM Narendra Modi will lay the foundation of this historic project. The project is a boon in the field of science and technology for the state of Tamil Nadu," Soundararajan said in a statement.

The new spaceport will cover an area of 2,000 acres and will boost the growth and development of the region in Thoothukudi district, she added.

Currently, rockets launched from Sriharikota must head east before turning south, necessitating a diversion due to the airspace of neighbouring Sri Lanka.

With the new spaceport, this diversion will no longer be necessary, and the location is closer to the Equator than Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana Governor said.

Additionally, Isro’s propulsion complex is situated in Mahendragiri, which is closer to Kulasekaranpattinam (88 km) than Sriharikota (780km). This proximity will facilitate the transportation of rocket components, reducing both time and cost.

Isro plans to launch the small satellites on a commercial basis from the Kulasekaranpattinam spaceport. Launching small satellites from Sriharikota incurs higher expenses due to the longer distance the rocket must travel.

The increased distance necessitates carrying more fuel, which in turn reduces the rocket’s payload capacity. This issue will be resolved with the new spaceport.

“Kulasekaranpattinam is all set to witness phenomenal growth, thanks to satellite-based space technology and the efforts of the central government. Scientists predict that a number of allied industries will come up in the neighbourhood. This will create thousands of jobs, benefitting Thoothukudi district,” Soundararajan, who is from Tamil Nadu, said.

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