SPACE CENTERS

ISRO projects are conducted at following five space centers;

• SHAR - Sriharikota Launching Range
• VSSC - Vikram Sarabhai Space Center
• ISAC - ISRO Satellite Center
• SAC - Space Applications Center
• ISTRAC - ISRO Telemetry Tracking & Command Network

SHAR - Sriharikota Launching Range

The Sriharikota Launching Range is developed into the most important center, with test, assembly and launch facilities for large multi-stage rockets and satellite launchers, and tracking, telemetry and tele-command stations for Indian spacecraft. It is situated in the Sriharikota Island, on India's east coast, about 62 miles (100km) north of Madras at 13°47' North and 80°15' East. Sriharikota, is an island in the Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh State, lies along the east of Pulicat Lake and is reached by road from Madras. Prior to its acquisition for ISRO by the Indian Government, its was a firewood plantation of Eucalyptus and Casuarina trees. This island is affected by both south-westerly and north-easterly monsoons, but heavy rains come only in October and November. Thus many clear days are available for out-door static tests and launchings.

SHAR covers a total area of about 56 sq. miles (145 sq. km) with a coastal length of 16.7 miles (27km). The range became operational when three Rohini 125 sounding rockets were launched on 9 and 10 October 1971. Since then, the ISRO facilities at SHAR have expanded. The solid propellant space booster plant processes large size propellant grains for the satellite launch vehicles. The Static Test & Evaluation Complex (STEX) tests and qualifies different types of solid motor for launch vehicles. SHAR was used for the preparation of the launch of the four-stage SLV-3 rocket, currently the STEX is used for casting and testing solid motors for the ASLV and PSLV vehicles. The ASLV orbital launcher is integrated vertically, beginning with motor and sub-assembly preparation in the Vehicle Integration Building (VIB) and completed on the pad within the 40 metre-tall mobile service structure.

The PSLV launch complex was commissioned during 1990. The 3000-ton, 75 metre-high, mobile service tower provides a payload clean room at the 41 metre level. The closed center at SHAR houses computers and data processing, closed circuit television, real-time tracking systems and meteorological observation equipment. It is linked to three radars located at Sriharikota and the five stations of ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking & Command Network (ISTRAC). The first test launch of the complete SLV-3 rocket occurred in August 1979 but it was only partially successful following a malfunction in the second stage guidance system. SHAR facilities worked satisfactorily during the SLV-3 preparation and launch. On 18 July 1980 the SLV-3 successfully launched India's third satellite.

VSSC - Vikram Sarabhai Space Center

The Vikram Sarabhai Space Center is the ISRO's main Research & Development establishment. Its facilities were built near the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), on the west coast of India, about 10 miles (16km) north of Trivandrum in Kerala State. Named after the late Professor Vikram A. Sarabhai (1919-1971), founder of the Indian Space Program. VSSC is an entirely national facility working on the development of sounding rockets; Rohini and Menaka, launchers; ASLV, PSLV and GSLV, along with the solid motor program.

Trivandrum's Liquid Propulsion Systems Center (LPSC) operates as a separate entity. TERLS is now a United Nations sponsored station located on the sandy coast of the Arabian Sea. The location of Thumba (8°32'34" N, 76°51'32" E) is ideal for the furtherance of low-altitude, upper-atmosphere and ionosphere studies which are of special importance in the region of the magnetic equator (just north of Thumba). Because of this factor, with the assistance and co-operation of France, the USA and Russia, TERLS has become an international launch site for sounding rockets.

Two geniuses at work; Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam at left, and Professor Vikram A. Sarabai in the middle.

The normal launch area covers about 2 sq. km and the range has capabilities for launching rockets up to 0.56 metres in diameter. It's three launch pads have facilities or a variety of sounding rockets, including French Centaure Dragon, the Indian Centaure and Rohini, Britain's Skua and Petrel, America's Nike-Apache, Nike-Tomahawk and Arcas and Russia's M-100. From the year that TERLS became operational, the successful launch of a NASA Nike-Apache, Nike-Tomahawk and Arcas, different types have been launched for geophysical and astronomical studies. Scientists from France, Germany, Japan, Russia and Bulgaria have participated in numerous scientific experiments at the site.

Address:

Vikram Sarabhai Space Center
Trivandrum, 695022
Kerala, India
Telephone: (+91) 471 562-444/562-555
Fax: (+91) 471 7979

The following three centres have yet to be completed;

• ISAC - ISRO Satellite Center
• SAC - Space Applications Center
• ISTRAC - ISRO Telemetry Tracking & Command Network

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