ISRO is Building a New Spaceport in Tamilnadu to Avoid Sri Lankan Air Base

ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), is one of the best Space Agency in the world. It has so many records and so many in waiting to be in a list of records. 

ISRO is the first Space Agency to get succeed in a very first attempt for the Mars Orbiter Mission, and ISRO is planning many more such operations in future. 

(Image Source : unsplash.com)

But Why There is a Need of Second Spaceport?

To understand this concept, you should know about the orbital axis and orbital inclination. So many people doesn't even know the calculation and geographical obstacles, which is obstructive in a root of ISRO. 

Here I'll give you a simple explanation of Orbital Inclination and other parameters.

Orbital inclination is the angle measured with respect to the equator. The rocket launches along this angle anywhere from 0 to 50/60/70, lets consider it equatorial for the sake of the Article.

(Image Showing Orbital Inclination)

Let's know about Polar Orbits

Then there are polar launches. The orbits are between poles, so around 89/90/91 we can say roughly but can be a lot more.

• At current launch site of Sriharikota, we can see many inclinations are accessible but if we want to do a polar launch here, then we have to go straight down. 

• But then Sri Lanka comes in between and That is a big problem.

• We can't fly our rockets above Sri Lanka. 

• So what ISRO is doing, that the rocket will fly from the side and then once it has passed, it will again come to the left and continue.

(Image Showing DogLeg Maneuver)

Yellow line shows the actual path of Rocket, whereas Blue Line shows that how ISRO selects path of Rocket and tries to not fly from Sri Lanka Air Space. 

• This is called a DogLeg Maneuver

Because of this the rocket has to spend extra fuel steering.

• This means we can carry less weight

So less payload capacity. This is somewhat understandable on a PSLV or GSLV, because they have a big payload capacity and some reduction is fine, But on small rockets this is a issue and Which small rockets you will ask for?

• ISRO is developing a rocket called SSLV

(Small satellite launch vehicle), Some people call it baby PSLV. 

• So here I have you a reason why ISRO was searching for a new Launch site.

• There can be a launch site on the west coast, maybe GOA or from Gujarat 

• So you can come down or more towards 98 degrees SSPO.

• ISRO finally choose Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district.

• There is a place called Kulasekharapatnam, as you can see we are clear down south, not a single country to block us.

• We have Antarctica at the end directly which is very cold/cool location.

Why so much attention is given to polar orbits?

• There is a special orbit called SSPO. Sun/Solar Synchronous Polar orbit

the best thing about this orbit is that the satellite is always illuminated with light

so it's the most important advantage. 

• Always power and ground will acquire and also it is under ISRO's satisfaction. That's why many small satellites prefer this orbit. So the smallsats are always powered by the Sun and many other advantages.

• So the Thoothukudi district is very important. There is a port as well, so if ISRO wants to ship its rockets than

they can ship multiple and store them at the launch site.

• There is also a small 1.3 km airport

but there is very less or no use for Cargo. 

• The launch site will be developed for SSLV, all the facilities for the PSLV/GSLV launch will be given to this location. 

According to Mr. K. Sivan  (Chairman of ISRO)

• Mr. K. Sivan has said specifically to launch the PSLV or GSLV, just because there is a Launchpad and it does not mean that you'd launch anything.

• Rocket's specific infrastructure will have to be developed. Then we also need a Vehicle Assembly building to integrate them so its not a simple question.

• So no PSLV/GSLV in the near term

as of now, although the land Acquisition is almost completed.

•To get finish this project site, it will take around 18 Months. (As of June 2020)

• So around 2 years or maybe the exact location we don't know yet, we'll know soon once activities pick up at the site.

• ISRO is also planning a mobile launcher for SSLV. We'll see when that happens.