Thiruvananthapuram, 27 Feb

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated 3 major space infrastructure projects of ISRO during his visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba near here. The Prime Minister also reviewed ISRO's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme during his visit.

Modi, accompanied by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, also took a walkthrough of the exhibition of the various ISRO projects showcased at VSSC.

The projects inaugurated by Modi are -- a Trisonic Wind Tunnel at VSSC, a Semi-Cryogenic Integrated Engine and Stage Test Facility at ISRO's propulsion complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, and the PSLV Integration Facility at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota. These three projects, which will provide world-class technical facilities for the space sector, have been developed at a cumulative cost of about Rs 1,800 crore.

VSSC, the lead centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation, is responsible for the design and development of launch vehicle technology.

The Trisonic Wind Tunnel at VSSC produces controlled uniform airflow over scaled models of rockets and aircraft to evaluate their aerodynamic characteristics and designs. It features a test section size of 1.2 meters and can generate speeds ranging from subsonic to supersonic, up to 4 times the speed of sound (Mach number 4.0).

The Mahendragiri unit is a state-of-the-art facility capable of handling large flows of propellants. It stands 51 meters tall and has a flame deflector depth of 30 meters.

The PSLV Integration Facilities at Sriharikota were developed to increase launch frequency from the First Launch Pad (FLP) and include Integration Building, Service Building, Rail Track, and associated systems.

These inauguration of these facilities mark significant advancements in India's space exploration capabilities.