Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad

The Second Launch Pad (SLP) of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre is a rocket launch site in Sriharikota, India. It is the second of two launch pads at the centre. The Second Launch Pad (SLP) was designed, supplied, erected & commissioned by MECON Limited, a Government of Indian Enterprise, located at Ranchi (Jharkhand, India) during the period March 1999 to December 2003.[1] It cost about ₹400 crore (equivalent to ₹11 billion or US$150 million in 2019) at that time.[2] The second launch pad with associated facilities was built in 2005. However it became operational on 5 May 2005 with the launching of PSLV-C6. MECON's sub-contractors for this project including Inox India, HEC, Tata Growth, Goderej Boyce, Simplex, Nagarjuna Construction, Steelage, etc. The other Launch Pad being the First Launch Pad. It is used by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk.III and is intended for India's first manned space mission.[3][4]

Second Launch Pad
Second launch pad
Location13.7199°N 80.2304°E / 13.7199; 80.2304
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Short nameSLP
OperatorISRO
Launch history
StatusActive
Launches27
First launch5 May 2005
PSLV / Cartosat-1
Last launch27 November 2019
PSLV XL / Cartosat-3
Associated
rockets		PSLV
GSLV Mk.I
GSLV Mk.II
GSLV Mk.III

Launches

The first launch from the pad occurred on 5 May 2005, and was of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle carrying the CARTOSAT-1 and HAMSAT satellites.[5] India's 1st Moon Mission, Chandrayan-I was launched from this launch pad on 22 October 2008. Its follow-up mission Chandrayaan-2 was also launched from this launch pad on 22 July 2019. The most recent launch was of a PSLV-XL on 27 November 2019.

The full list of launches from the complex is in the article List of Satish Dhawan Space Centre launches.

Facilities

"As per the "Integrate, Transfer and Launch (ITL)" concept, based on which the launch pad and the associated facilities are designed, the entire vehicle is assembled and checked-out on a mobile pedestal in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and then moved in vertical position to the launch pad on a roll track."[6]

"Other facilities include, Solid Stage Assembly Building (SSAB) connected to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) by a rail track, Technical Complex-2 (TC2), Spacecraft Preparation Facility, Range Instrumentation facilities comprising tracking, telemetry and tele-command systems".[6]

A new assembly building (SVAB - Second Vehicle Assembly Building) being constructed with a budgetary grant of ₹630 crore (US$88 million) is nearing completion and is expected to be ready by mid 2018. This upgrade is expected to increase the launch capacity of second launch pad complex to 11 launches per year.[7]

In November 2019, ISRO released tenders for augmentation of SLP for Gaganyaan project.[8][9][10][11]

References
  1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081023/jsp/jharkhand/story_10006297.jsp
  3. "Launch Facility". Indian Space Research Organisation. Archived from the original on 17 April 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  4. "SDSC SHAR/Sr.HPS/PT/RO/11/2019-20". www.isro.gov.in. Indian Space Research Organization. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  5. Wade, Mark. "Sriharikota SLP". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  6. Public domain text sourced from the link - ISRO Launch Facilities Archived 17 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "PIF Project". Prajasakti.
  8. "RFP TO REALISE HYDRANT SYSTEM FOR AUGMENTED FACILITIES AT SLP COMPLEX (ASLP) SDSC, SHAR SRIHARIKOTA" (PDF). www.isro.gov.in. Indian Space Research Organization. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  9. "Work Contract to carry out Video and Still Photography documentation coverage and VIDEO Editing Works of Technical Photography Facility" (PDF). www.isro.gov.in. Indian Space Research Organization. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  10. "SUPPLY OF RAW MATERIAL, FABRICATION, ERECTION AND COMMISSIONING OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR GAGANYAAN MISSION AT UMBILICAL TOWER OF SECOND LAUNCH PAD (SLP)" (PDF). www.isro.gov.in. Indian Space Research Organization. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  11. "REALISATION OF NEW HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR CREW ACCESS ARM (CAA) and AUGMENTATION/MODIFICATION OF EXISTING SCVRP-3 HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR SERVICING GAGANYAAN MISSION AT UMBILICAL TOWER (UT) OF SECOND LAUNCH PAD (SLP)" (PDF). www.isro.gov.in. Indian Space Research Organization. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
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