{"id":44583,"date":"2025-01-18T11:14:15","date_gmt":"2025-01-18T05:44:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=44583"},"modified":"2025-05-06T12:43:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T07:13:12","slug":"cabinet-approves-third-launchpad-at-satish-dhawan-space-center-for-next-generation-launch-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/cabinet-approves-third-launchpad-at-satish-dhawan-space-center-for-next-generation-launch-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"Cabinet Approves Third Launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Center for Next Generation Launch Vehicles"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>What\u2019s in today\u2019s article?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Why in News?<\/li>\n<li>Satish Dhawan: A Pioneer in Indian Space Science<\/li>\n<li>The Search for India&#8217;s Ideal Satellite Launch Site<\/li>\n<li>Why Sriharikota Was Chosen as the Launch Site?<\/li>\n<li>ISRO to Get a Third Launch Pad: Key Highlights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Why in News?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a third launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, to support ISRO&#8217;s future use of the heavier Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>SDSC, India&#8217;s sole spaceport, became operational in 1971 with the launch of the &#8216;Rohini-125&#8217; rocket and was renamed in 2002 to honor former ISRO Chairman Satish Dhawan.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Satish Dhawan: A Pioneer in Indian Space Science<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Early Life and Achievements<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Born in Srinagar, Satish Dhawan was an eminent rocket scientist, hailed as the &#8216;Father of Experimental Fluid Dynamics research&#8217; in India.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>He made significant contributions to the study of turbulence and boundary layers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Leadership at ISRO<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>In 1972, Dhawan succeeded Vikram Sarabhai as the Chairman of ISRO.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Under his leadership, India\u2019s space program witnessed remarkable growth, including the development of operational systems like:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>INSAT<\/strong>: A telecommunications satellite.<\/li>\n<li><strong>IRS<\/strong>: The Indian Remote Sensing satellite.<\/li>\n<li><strong>PSLV<\/strong>: A launch vehicle that elevated India to a spacefaring nation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Legacy and Recognition<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>After his passing in 2002, the space center at Sriharikota was renamed the <strong>Satish Dhawan Space Center<\/strong> to honor his transformative contributions to India\u2019s space journey.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>The Search for India&#8217;s Ideal Satellite Launch Site<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Search begins<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>In the 1960s, India embarked on a mission to indigenously develop satellites and launch vehicles under the leadership of Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of the Indian space program.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>He tasked scientist EV Chitnis with finding a suitable launch site on the country\u2019s east coast.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Survey and Selection of Sriharikota<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>In March 1968, information and maps of potential sites, including Sriharikota, were gathered.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Quick Execution and Acquisition<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>By August 1968, Sarabhai conducted a survey of Sriharikota.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>In October 1968, approximately 40,000 acres of land in Sriharikota were acquired, showcasing the remarkable speed and efficiency of the process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Why Sriharikota Was Chosen as the Launch Site?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ideal Location on the East Coast<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Sriharikota\u2019s position on the east coast allows rockets to be launched eastwards, leveraging Earth\u2019s rotation for additional velocity.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>This provides a significant boost of about 450 m\/s, increasing payload capacity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proximity to the Equator<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Being close to the equator is advantageous for launching geostationary satellites, as they need to be in the equatorial plane.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The closer the launch site to the equator, the more efficient the launch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Uninhabited and Sea Proximity<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Sriharikota&#8217;s sparsely populated area and proximity to the sea ensure a safe flight path over the ocean, where separated rocket hardware can fall without risks or constraints.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>ISRO to Get a Third Launch Pad: Key Highlights<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Purpose of the Third Launch Pad (TLP)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Designed to support <strong>Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLVs)<\/strong> and serve as a <strong>standby<\/strong> for the Second Launch Pad at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.<\/li>\n<li>Will enhance India&#8217;s capacity for <strong>human spaceflight missions<\/strong> and space exploration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Timeline and Importance<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The project is of <strong>national importance<\/strong> and aims to be completed within <strong>four years (48 months)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Expected to meet India&#8217;s evolving space transportation needs for the next <strong>25-30 years<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Versatile Configuration<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The TLP will have a <strong>universal and adaptable design<\/strong> to support NGLVs, Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), and vehicles with semicryogenic stages.<\/li>\n<li>Capable of accommodating <strong>scaled-up configurations<\/strong> of launch vehicles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Boost to India&#8217;s Space Ecosystem<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The TLP will enable <strong>higher launch frequencies<\/strong>, strengthening the national space ecosystem.<\/li>\n<li>It will significantly enhance India\u2019s capacity to undertake <strong>human spaceflight and exploration missions<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Existing Launch Pads<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>India currently operates two launch pads at Sriharikota:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>First Launch Pad (FLP)<\/strong>: Supports PSL and SSL vehicles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Second Launch Pad (SLP)<\/strong>: Functions as a standby for PSLVs and is being prepared for <strong>human-rated LVM3<\/strong> for Gaganyaan missions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Future Scope<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The TLP project will ensure ISRO\u2019s readiness for future demands, solidifying its role in advancing India\u2019s space transportation capabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Q.1. Why was Sriharikota chosen as the launch site for ISRO?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Sriharikota&#8217;s ideal location on the east coast provides a significant velocity boost due to Earth\u2019s rotation. It\u2019s close to the equator, making it efficient for launching satellites. Additionally, its sparsely populated area and proximity to the sea ensure a safe flight path for rockets.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Q.2. What will the third launchpad at Sriharikota support?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The third launchpad will support ISRO\u2019s Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLVs) and human spaceflight missions. It will enhance the nation\u2019s space transportation capacity, ensure higher launch frequencies, and serve as a backup for the existing launch pads at Sriharikota.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/explained-sci-tech\/launchpad-satish-dhawan-space-center-sriharikota-9784017\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-in\/news\/India\/isro-s-satish-dhawan-space-centre-to-get-third-launch-pad-10-things-to-know\/ar-AA1xiPFH?apiversion=v2&amp;noservercache=1&amp;domshim=1&amp;renderwebcomponents=1&amp;wcseo=1&amp;batchservertelemetry=1&amp;noservertelemetry=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MSN<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of a third launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. This will support ISRO\u2019s next-gen launch vehicles, boost India&#8217;s space exploration capacity, and enhance its ability to undertake human spaceflight missions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":44584,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-44583","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44583"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44583\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}