Implementation strategy and objectives:
The design of the TLP will feature a versatile and adaptable configuration, ensuring it can support not only the NGLV but also the LVM3 vehicles equipped with a semi-cryogenic stage, as well as enhanced versions of the NGLV.
This project will leverage maximum participation from industry while fully utilizing ISRO’s extensive experience from previous launch pad developments. Moreover, it will make optimal use of the current launch complex facilities.
The projected timeline for establishing the TLP is set for 48 months, or four years. The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 3,984.86 crores, which encompasses the construction of the launch pad and associated facilities.
This initiative is set to propel the Indian Space ecosystem forward by enabling more frequent launches and bolstering national capabilities for human spaceflight and exploration missions.
Currently, India’s space transportation relies entirely on two launch pads: the First Launch Pad (FLP) and the Second Launch Pad (SLP). The FLP was established 30 years ago to support PSLV launches and continues to be operational for PSLV and SSLV missions.
The SLP, designed primarily for GSLV and LVM3, has functioned for nearly two decades and has improved our capacity for both national missions—including the Chandrayaan-3 mission—and commercial PSLV/LVM3 missions. Additionally, the SLP is gearing up for the human-rated LVM3 launch for the Gaganyaan missions.
As India look towards the ambitious vision for the Indian Space Programme during the Amrit Kaal, which includes the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035 and an Indian Crewed Lunar Landing by 2040, it is clear that the country will need a new generation of heavier launch vehicles with advanced propulsion systems—capabilities that the existing launch pads cannot fulfill. Therefore, swiftly establishing a Third Launch Pad is crucial to meet the anticipated space transportation needs for the next 25 to 30 years.
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