Isro Builds It, Private Players To Run It: Why India's New Spaceport Is Changing Hands

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is constructing a new spaceport in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district, but the facility will eventually be operated by a private Indian company. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), under Isro's guidance, has issued an invitation for private companies to express interest in managing and operating the Space Launch Complex (SLC).

This decision aligns with the Indian Space Policy 2023, which aims to give the private sector a more significant role in India's burgeoning space industry.

The primary purpose of the new spaceport is to cater to the growing private space industry in India, with launch operators expected to include startups and private launch providers like Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is also anticipated to be among the operators, having already been entrusted with the newly developed Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV).

The government's objective extends beyond merely creating an alternative launch site; it aims to achieve a launch roughly every two weeks, or nearly 24 launches per year. This vast facility spans over 2,000 acres and will encompass launch vehicle integration facilities, tracking infrastructure, radars, and other essential systems for launch operations. Running such a large-scale facility will necessitate a company with the requisite resources and expertise to manage complex operations consistently.

While the private operator will not be responsible for building rockets, its duty will be to manage the spaceport's infrastructure, services, and day-to-day operations. To ensure that only qualified companies with adequate resources and operational capabilities are selected, IN-SPACe has incorporated safeguards into the selection process.

Following the EOI and Request for Proposal (RFP) stages, the organization anticipates choosing a private operator and completing the handover within a year. Transitioning to a private operator will be gradual, with safety and regulatory oversight remaining under IN-SPACe's purview. The selected operator will also undergo an initial training and hand-holding phase during the first launches to build confidence in their ability to run the facility while maintaining adherence to ISro's safety standards.