Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station
തുമ്പ ഇക്ക്വറ്റോറിയൽ റോക്കറ്റ് വിക്ഷേപണ കേന്ദ്രം

Launch of RH-300 Mk2 from TERLS
Agency overview
Formed 1962 (1962)
Jurisdiction Government of India
Headquarters Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram, India
8°32′34″N 76°51′32″E / 8.54278°N 76.85889°E / 8.54278; 76.85889
Employees Unknown (2008)
Annual budget See ISRO
Parent agency ISRO
Website ISRO TERLS home page

The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) is an Indian spaceport operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation. It is located in Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram which is near the southern tip of mainland India, very close to earth's magnetic equator. It is currently used by ISRO for launching sounding rockets.

Location

Thumba is located very close to the magnetic equator of the Earth (located just north of Thumba), making it the ideal location for scientists to conduct atmospheric research.[1] In fact, Thumba's location at 8°32'34" N and 76°51'32" E is ideal for low-altitude, upper atmosphere and ionosphere studies. Thumba is a small fishing village situated close to the Thiruvananthapuram airport in Kerala.[2] Thumba is also one of the farthest points from Pakistan, China and Bangladesh (although Bangladesh was founded several years after TERLS was founded)[3]

References

  1. ↑ Ley, Willy (June 1964). "Anyone Else for Space?". For Your Information. Galaxy Science Fiction. pp. 110–128.
  2. ↑ "Forty years in Space". www.rediff.com. India Abroad. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
  3. ↑ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rocket-science-of-south/articleshow/4672661

Coordinates: 8°32′34″N 76°51′32″E / 8.54278°N 76.85889°E / 8.54278; 76.85889

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