India Opens Its First Spaceport to Private Operators: A New Era for Launch

India is handing the keys of its second spaceport to a private operator for the first time. IN-SPACe has floated an Expression of Interest inviting Indian firms to run the Small Satellite Launch Complex at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu. The ₹986-crore facility, spanning 2,233 acres, is built for the SSLV and other small launchers, offering direct polar-orbit access over the Indian Ocean.

The Noise

Some are calling this India’s “SpaceX moment,” but the reality is more...