ISRO plans four launch pads by 2029 and a 2,000-acre SSLV spaceport in Tamil Nadu

ISRO chairman V. Narayanan has said India will have four functional launch pads by 2029, The Hindu reports, as the agency gears up for a sharp rise in satellite launches. Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Chennai on October 24, he outlined a 2,000-acre dedicated Small Satellite Launch Vehicle complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tuticorin district, aimed at meeting global demand for satellite deployment. Narayanan clarified that the national space agency will not be privatised, while stressing that partnership with private firms is essential to meet surging domestic and global demand for thousands of satellites. He said ISRO will handhold startups and private enterprises, transferring technological expertise to foster economic growth and generate thousands of high-tech jobs.

DTT summary based on The Hindu's report. The full article is on the publisher's site.