The eligibility criteria for the operator include would be companies that have been operational for at least seven years, as well as an annual turnover of above ₹2,000 crore for any three years of the last five years
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre( IN-SPACe) has come out with an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the handover of responsibility of operation and management of soon to be launched SSLV Launch Complex (SLC) in Kulasekarapattinam, near Thoothukudi, Tamil NaduThe launch complex, expected to be commissioned by the end of this year, will be the Indian Space Research Organisation’s second space port after the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The EOI intends to invite responses from Indian industries with demonstrated experience in executing and managing large-scale, multidisciplinary infrastructure and operations projects. Eligibility criteriaThe eligibility criteria for the operator include companies that have been operational for at least seven years, as well as an annual turnover of above ₹2,000 crore for any three years of the last five years. It also requires the companies to have a minimum net worth of ₹1,000 crore. “To facilitate a smooth transition and capability development, ISRO will provide the selected party with the necessary technical guidance, operational support, training and handholding assistance until the completion of three launch services provided by the selected party to launch vehicle operators, or one year, whichever is earlier,” the EOI added. Spanning roughly 2,300 acres, the SLC complex will handle commercial and polar launches of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). The location of the port allows rockets to fly straight south over the Indian Ocean without turning, eliminating the need for curved flight maneuvers and reducing fuel consumption.The new spaceport is also expected to bolster India’s private launch capabilities at a time when Indian start-ups like Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos are in the process of building private launch vehicles. To date, ISRO has launched over 400 satellites through commercial missions. Published on August 9, 2026
