The first rocket launch from the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) Launch Complex at Kulasekarapattinam near Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu will happen in 2027, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan, said in Chennai on Monday. The launch complex will launch small satellites upto 500 kg, the chairman said.

Speaking to reporters after launching the S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence for Research in Fluid and Thermal Science (ISRO-IITM), Narayanan said the ground breaking ceremony was done for the realisation of three major facilities within the complex on March 5.

He also said that NISAR, the joint mission by the NASA and ISRO aimed at measuring Earth’s changing ecosystems and dynamic surfaces, will be launched in the next few months. NISAR will observe Earth’s land and ice-covered surfaces globally with 12-day regularity on ascending and descending passes, sampling Earth on average every 6 days for a baseline 3-year mission.

The SLC at Kulasekarapattinam is being built at a cost of Rs. 950 crore to facilitate the launch of small satellites. The central government had earlier allowed 100 percent FDI in the space sector and the launch complex at Kulasekarapattinam aims to launch small satellites based on this.

He said the site development activities are being carried out and the site is now ready for the commencement of the construction of the Upper Stage Assembly Facilities for the preparation of the second and third stages of the 3-staged SSLV vehicle along with a Launch Service Building (LSB).

“The launch complex at Kulasekarapattinam will primarily address the polar launches of the SSLV, which is envisaged to capture the global launch service market for small satellites up to 500 kg. SSLV development has been completed and in the operational phase, the vehicle is envisaged for production by Indian industry,” he said.

The S. Ramakrishnan Centre of Excellence in Fluid and Thermal Science Research’ inaugurated at the IIT Madras by the agency’s chairman will support ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives, promoting self-reliance in advanced space technologies and attract Global Talent and Research Funding. This will position India as a leader in thermal sciences research for space applications.

This state-of-the-art research facility, housed at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, will focus on critical advancements in spacecraft and launch vehicle thermal management—a key area for India’s expanding space ambitions.

S. Ramakrishnan was a distinguished alumnus of IIT Madras. He was a distinguished aerospace engineer with accomplishments in the arena of launch vehicle engineering and development. He was also the project director for PSLV and GSLV MK3. He also served as the Director of LPSC and VSSC.

The Nation honoured him with Padma Shri during 2003 for his contributions in the areas of science and engineering. The centre will serve as a nodal centre for research in heat transfer, cooling systems and fluid dynamics. These are essential for the next generation of spacecraft and satellite technologies.

Scientists and engineers from ISRO will work alongside faculty and researchers from IIT Madras to address complex thermal challenges in space applications. This initiative is a game-changer for India’s space program as thermal control is vital to satellite longevity, spacecraft safety, and mission success.

The research at this Centre of Excellence (CoE) will directly impact upcoming lunar, Mars, and deep-space missions, ensuring India remains at the forefront of space technology.

“The Cryogenic Engine technology was denied to India but today, we have three different such engines with the third one being human-rated. Only six countries in the world have this technology. We have made three world records in this technology – We got it right in our third attempt. Second, from the engine test to flight, we got it done in 28 months. Other countries took between 42 months and 18 years. And finally, we conducted the test in 34 days which no other country had done as they took around 5 to 6 months,” he said.