On April 3, 2025, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Jitendra Singh announced the establishment of a Third Launch Pad (TLP) at ISRO's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This project has received approval from the Union Cabinet with a substantial financial sanction of ₹3,984.86 Crore. According to Minister Singh's statement in the Rajya Sabha, the construction is anticipated to be completed within a four-year time-frame.

The TLP project was initially approved by the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2025. The substantial budget allocation demonstrates the government's commitment to strengthening India's space infrastructure and capabilities for future missions.

The Third Launch Pad has become necessary due to the development of ISRO's Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). This massive rocket, standing approximately 90 meters tall with a maximum lift-off mass of around 1000 tonnes, cannot be accommodated by the existing launch facilities at Sriharikota.

As Minister Singh explained, "Existing launch pads at Sriharikota cannot launch this class of vehicles. The propellant servicing facilities and the Umbilical Tower of the existing launch pads are not designed to meet the requirements of the new propulsion system based on Liquid Methane."

The TLP will feature a flexible and universal design to support various launch vehicles, including the NGLV, LVM3 with a semi-cryogenic stage, and scaled-up configurations of the NGLV. A key innovation in the new launch pad will be its horizontal integration approach.

Due to the NGLV's significant height and size, it will require horizontal integration and transport, followed by tilting onto the launch pad using a Tiltable Umbilical Tower (TUT).

Additionally, the TLP is being designed with foundation support and servicing requirements that will enable future augmentation to support India's ambitious Crewed Lunar Mission. The facility will leverage ISRO's expertise from previous launch pad construction while maximizing industry participation and optimizing the use of existing facilities at the launch complex.

IDN