Where is Satish Dhawan Space Centre located ?

The Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) is located in Sriharikota, a barrier island in the Nellore (now Tirupati) district of Andhra Pradesh [t1][t5]. Originally established in 1971 as the Sriharikota Range (SHAR), it was renamed in September 2002 to honor Prof. Satish Dhawan, the former Chairman of ISRO [t2][t6]. The site was selected due to its proximity to the equator and its location on the east coast, which provides a favorable launch azimuth and utilizes the Earth's rotation for eastward launches [t5][t8]. While other options like Thumba and Thiruvananthapuram are associated with the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and sounding rocket launches, Sriharikota serves as India's primary spaceport for launching major satellite vehicles like the PSLV and GSLV [c1][c3][t1]. Chandipur-on-sea is primarily an Integrated Test Range for missiles, not the SDSC.

Sources

1. [1] https://www.isro.gov.in/SDSC.html
2. [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sriharikota
3. [3] https://www.shar.gov.in/sdscshar/newAboutus.jsp
4. [4] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 12: Transport, Communications and Trade > Major Events > p. 56
5. [5] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 11: Keeping Time with the Skies > Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai (1919–1971) > p. 186