ISRO / Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre · Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, India
Launch Pads
—
Annual Launches
5-10
Max Payload (LEO)
—
Established
1963
Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) is the birthplace of the Indian space program and one of the most historically significant launch sites in Asia. India's first sounding rocket was launched from here on November 21, 1963. Located near the magnetic equator, it remains an active suborbital research facility and houses the ISRO Space Museum.
| Region | Asia |
| Country | 🇮🇳 India |
| Coordinates | 8.5372° N, 76.8653° E |
| Ownership | Government |
| Parent Entity | ISRO (Department of Space, Government of India) / Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre |
| Regulatory Regime | IN-SPACe / Department of Space (Government of India) |
| Latitude Advantage | 8.54°N — sits directly under the magnetic equator (dip equator). Strategically chosen for ionospheric/electrojet research; no orbital azimuth role. |
| Azimuth Range | Suborbital only — vertical and near-vertical sounding rocket profiles |
| Website | https://www.vssc.gov.in/ |
Anchor Tenants
Active Users
Strategic Value
Heritage site — the rocket-research seed from which ISRO grew. Today's role is narrow but irreplaceable: India's primary site for equatorial-electrojet, mesosphere, and ionosphere sounding-rocket campaigns. Co-located with VSSC, India's lead propulsion-and-systems engineering center.
Recent Activity
Continued Rohini RH-200/300/560 sounding rocket campaigns for IMD weather research; VSSC engine test-stand activity supports LVM3/Gaganyaan development at adjacent facility.
2026
Continued sounding-rocket campaigns supporting Gaganyaan environment characterization