Isro to set up third launch pad at Sriharikota space centre

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to set up a new launch pad, at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The new facility, which will be third facility here, would attract an investment of around Rs 500 crore.

MoS in the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions, Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha said that the new launch pad, which will be the third launch pad, is intended to support increased launch frequency, launching requirements of future advanced launch vehicles and also serve as a redundant launch pad for the GSLV MIII class of vehicles.
"Detailed studies on possible concepts /options and preliminary configuration have been carried out," he said.
While the Minister's reply did not mention about the project cost, Isro officials have estimated that the new project would cost around Rs 500 crore.
The Minister further said, the possible site for the third launch pad has been identified in Sriharikota taking into account the safety distances and maximal utilisation of existing launch pad facilities. However, further work on design of the launch pad will be taken up at an appropriate time after finalising the configuration of the advanced launch vehicle, operationalisation of GSLV MIII, programmatic requirements and resource availability.
The assembling facility and launch pad will come up in 3 square kilometer area, which is bigger then the measurement of the existing two launch pads.
The new complex will provide complete support for the vehicle assembly, fueling, checkout and launch operations. Besides, it will have facilities for launching rockets meant for studying the earth's atmosphere.
The complex will also have a new mobile pedestals, umbilical towers, emergency exits, ground escape system, crew ingress and egress systems, safety bunkers, material handling equipment and related electrical systems, said Isro.