Two new space hubs in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu to boost rocket manufacturing
The Department of Space has cleared the launch of state-backed engineering hubs in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu to completely change how private firms build rockets
The Department of Space has cleared the launch of state-backed engineering hubs in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu to completely change how private firms build rockets and satellites. Driven by the Indian Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, or IN-SPACe, these common technical facilities will function as shared testing platforms. A modern cleanroom facility where engineers assemble complex satellite components before transport. (Photo: Generative AI) Read Full Story This intervention removes the high capital expenditure, or initial setup cost, that usually prevents smaller local firms from entering the high-tech commercial market. Instead of building individual testing labs, space tech startups and large manufacturers can now access top-tier infrastructure on a plug-and-play basis, which means they can simply bring their hardware and begin operations immediately.
POWERING SATELLITE TECH IN KHORAJ The upcoming Space Manufacturing Park at Khoraj, located near Ahmedabad, will focus strictly on building spacecraft and complex payload systems. A payload refers to the core technical instruments carried by a satellite, such as advanced cameras or sensors, which perform the actual mission work in orbit. Engineers calibration testing advanced electronic payload systems inside a specialised engineering lab. (Photo: Generative AI) The common technical facility here will house heavy machinery for structural assembly and electronic validation, ensuring that delicate satellite instruments can survive the extreme electrical and radiation environments encountered beyond Earth. Local authorities have already secured land for this dedicated manufacturing cluster to draw significant private investments.
BUILDING THE NEXT ROCKET EDGE IN THOOTHUKUDI Down south in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi, a separate Space Vehicles Cluster will focus heavily on manufacturing, testing, and integrating full launch vehicle systems. This site is strategically positioned near the upcoming small vehicle launch complex at Kulasekharapatnam in Tamil Nadu. A launch complex is the specialised site used to prepare and lift off rockets safely. The central government has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for this specialised facility, which will offer testing systems for vibration and shock. These tests simulate the brutal shaking a rocket experiences during liftoff. A launch vehicle component undergoing structural stress and vibration analysis inside a heavy testing chamber. (Photo: Generative AI) It will also provide thermal vacuum testing, which places equipment inside a chamber that mimics the zero-pressure, freezing conditions of deep space.
Furthermore, the facility will handle propulsion validation, a process that tests the heavy engines and fuel systems to ensure they burn reliably before flight. By building these shared testing platforms, India is moving away from a centralised model toward a distributed space industrial base. Around 10 other states have already shown interest in replicating these manufacturing clusters, preparing the domestic industry to capture a larger share of the global commercial market. Ends
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