**Policy Summary: Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport Development**
This document summarizes the current status, advantages, and planned missions for the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport project, as of August 20, 2025.
**Current Status and Timeline:** Land acquisition is nearly complete, with the exception of land needed for East Coast Road rerouting. Site development is finished, and construction of technical facilities has begun. Equipment and structure fabrication is underway. The targeted commissioning date for the spaceport is Fiscal Year 2026-27.
**Financials:** A total of ₹985.96 Crore has been allocated to the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport, with ₹389.58 Crore utilized as of July 31, 2025.
**Advantages:** The Kulasekarapattinam launch site offers enhanced payload capability for Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) launching satellites into polar orbits, specifically Sun Synchronous Polar Orbits (SSPO). Launching to SSPO from the existing Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR requires rocket maneuvering to avoid spent stage impact over land, which reduces payload capacity. The SSLV payload capability to SSPO from Kulasekarapattinam is approximately 300kg, whereas it is inadequate for a useful payload when launching from SDSC SHAR.
**Planned Missions:** Following commissioning, launches of SSLV and equivalent launch vehicles from Non-Government Entities (NGEs) are planned to be conducted from the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport.
Key Entities Referenced
Kulasekarapattinam spaceport: A new spaceport being developed in India. The policy document discusses its infrastructure development, commissioning timeline, and advantages.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR SDSCSHAR, Sriharikota: The existing launch facility in India, used as a point of comparison for the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport. Located in Andhra Pradesh.
SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI: Member of Parliament who raised the question about the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport in Lok Sabha.
DR. JITENDRA SINGH: Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions and in the Prime Minister's Office, who provided the answer to the question regarding the spaceport.
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle SSLV: ISRO's Small Satellite Launch Vehicle, which will have enhanced payload capability when launched from Kulasekarapattinam.
ISRO: Indian Space Research Organisation
Sun Synchronous Polar Orbits SSPO: A type of orbit that the Kulasekarapattinam launch site will be advantageous for.
EastCoast Road: A road near the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport that requires rerouting due to the construction of the spaceport.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
DEPARTMENT OF SPACE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4554
TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2025
KULASEKARAPATTINAM SPACEPORT
4554. SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:
Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
(a) the current status of infrastructure development at the
Kulasekarapattinam spaceport including the timeline for its
full commissioning and the funds allocated and utilised for the
project so far;
(b) the specific advantages of the Kulasekarapattinam launch site
in terms of payload capacity and its comparison with the
existing launch facility at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR
(SDSC-SHAR); and
(c) the details of upcoming launch missions planned from
Kulasekarapattinam including the type of rockets and
payloads to be deployed from this spaceport?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC
GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH):
****(a) The current status of infrastructure development at the
Kulasekarapattinam spaceport, including the timeline for its
full commissioning and the funds allocated and utilized for the
project so far:
Land acquisition completed except for the land for
rerouting the East-Coast Road.
Site development works completed and construction
works commenced for technical facilities.
Fabrication of various equipment and structures is in
progress at different work centres.
Commissioning of Kulasekarapattinam spaceport is
targeted in FY 2026-27.
Funds allocated to Kulasekarapattinam spaceport –
₹985.96 Crore.
Fund utilized for the project so for – ₹389.58 Crore. (As on
31st July’25)
(b) The specific advantages of the Kulasekarapattinam launch
site in terms of payload capacity and its comparison with the
existing launch facility at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR
(SDSC-SHAR) are as under:
Kulasekarapattinam launch site will enhance the payload
capability of satellite launch vehicles in the class of
ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), while
launching satellites to polar orbits.
Launches to the functionally exceptional Sun-
Synchronous Polar Orbits (SSPO) from SDSC SHAR,
Sriharikota need maneuvering of the rocket to avoid theimpact of spent stages over landmasses and this will
significantly reduce the payload capability.
The payload capability of SSLV to SSPO while launching
from Kulasekarapattinam is about 300kg whereas the
capability is inadequate for a useful payload while
launching from SDSC SHAR.
(c) Post commissioning, the launches of SSLV and equivalent
launch vehicles from Non-Government Entities (NGEs) are
planned to be carried out from Kulasekarapattinam spaceport.
****