RAS question
The Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) is located at:
Correct answer: (D) Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR is located at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh and functions as India's primary spaceport.
Explanation
Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR is based at Sriharikota Range PO in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. ISRO describes SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota, as the Spaceport of India and states that it provides launch-base infrastructure for the Indian Space Programme. That role explains why the location is not just another ISRO centre: the page links SDSC SHAR with launch vehicle integration, launch operations, range operations, mission control facilities and launch pads used for PSLV and GSLV rocket launches. The centre was renamed in 2002 after Satish Dhawan, ISRO's second chairman. Therefore, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh is the only location that identifies SDSC-SHAR.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Thumba in Kerala is associated with TERLS, so it does not identify SDSC-SHAR, the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh.
- (B) Hassan in Karnataka houses ISRO's Master Control Facility, whereas SDSC-SHAR is the launch centre at Sriharikota.
- (C) Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu is linked with the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre for engine testing, not the SDSC-SHAR launch base.
Concept
This tests the standard Science and Technology map-location fact of matching ISRO centres with their functions. It recurs in RAS because space missions, launch vehicles and national institutions are frequent current-affairs and static-GK overlap areas.