♦ The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a Third Launch Pad (TLP) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on 16 January 2025.

♦ The TLP project is projected to take four years to complete, with a total cost of Rs. 3984.86 crore, which includes the establishment of the launch pad and related infrastructure.

♦ The new launch pad aims to support the next generation of Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) launch vehicles and enhance the country’s capacity for human spaceflight missions.

♦ The TLP will be designed to support ISRO’s upcoming Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV) and serve as a backup for the existing Second Launch Pad (SLP) at Sriharikota.

♦ This new infrastructure will play a critical role in improving India’s launch capabilities, paving the way for future space exploration, including the country’s ambitious human spaceflight programs.

♦ Currently, ISRO relies on two existing launch pads: the First Launch Pad (FLP), operational for 30 years, and the Second Launch Pad (SLP), which has been in use for nearly 20 years.

♦ These pads have supported significant missions, including Chandrayaan-3 and commercial launches.