DMK MP Kanimozhi on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to set up the country’s second space- launch site at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district.
In a letter to Mr. Modi, she said the request was based on detailed feasibility studies conducted by scientists at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).
Ms. Kanimozhi said that according to the former Chief General Manager of the LPSC, if launched from Kulasekarapattinam, Mangalyan could have carried 1,800 kg of equipment instead of 1,350 kg. “Its closeness to the equator, proximity to the Liquid Propulsion Centre in Mahendragiri and the conducive climate make Kulasekarapattinam an ideal place for setting up India's next space-launch site,” she said.
Pointing out that the country’s only space-launch site was located in Sriharikota and all the other nations with developed space programmes had multiple launch sites, she said it was important that India set up a new launch site to support its existing facility.
She said that in response to her question in the Rajya Sabha in 2013, ISRO had informed Parliament that an expert committee had been constituted to assess the need for a new launch site considering the capabilities of the existing launch pad at Sriharikota and the launch requirements of the next decade.
