Kulasekarapattinam to launch 1st rocket in March-April 2027: ISRO Chairman

CHENNAI: The newly established rocket launch complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district is expected to launch its first rocket in March or April 2027, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan said on Sunday.

He also said the Chandrayaan 4 mission is planned for 2028, while preparations for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme are progressing steadily, with around 8,000 tests completed so far.

Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport, Narayanan said work on the Kulasekarapattinam launch facility was progressing rapidly, and efforts were under way to make the first launch possible in March or April.

Explaining the progress of the GSLV-F18 mission, which launched the navigation satellite on October 30, he said the satellite had been successfully placed in an initial elliptical orbit at an altitude of around 38,000 km. Using its onboard propulsion system, the satellite had been raised by another 5,500 km, with further orbital manoeuvres under way to position it in its designated orbit.

He described India's navigation satellite programme as a major achievement, highlighting its applications in precise positioning and timing, aviation, maritime traffic, railway operations and public safety.

On Gaganyaan, Narayanan said three uncrewed missions would be conducted before sending astronauts into space. The programme has undergone around 8,000 tests, and preparations for the initial uncrewed launches are progressing.

He also said work on Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 was continuing, with Chandrayaan-4 targeted for 2028.