Question

Where was India’s first rocket launching station set up?
A. Sriharikota
B. Arvi
C. Thumba
D. Port Blair

Answer 1

Hint: The first rocket launching station of India is located in the southernmost state of the country. It is also very close to earth’s magnetic equator.

Complete answer: An Indian spaceport or a site for launching spacecraft, established on November 23rd 1963, the Thumba Equatorial Launching Station (TERLS) is situated in Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the Indian state Kerala. This station was India’s first launching station.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) operates the station and uses it for launching sounding rockets or research rockets.
Vikram Sarabhai gave Eknath Vasant Chitnis the task to find a location for the space program. Vasant Chitnis travelled to more than two hundred locations, the scientist shortlisted many places such as Ezhudesam near Kanyakumari Vellanathuruthu near Karunagappalli, and Thumba. The best suited location for the launching station was Thumba and in 1962, in the meeting at the Physical Research Laboratory, the team decided to go with Thumba. The launching station was inaugurated by Smt Indira Gandhi.
While talking about the other options,
A. From Sriharikota range (SHAR), on July 18, 1980, SLV-3 was successfully launched.
B. In Arvi, an earth station named Arvi Satellite Earth Station is located. This station is also known as the Vikram Earth Station.
D. Down Range Station is located in Port Blair.

Thus the correct option is C.

Note: The location of Thumba is perfect for the studies of low-altitude, ionosphere, upper atmosphere. From Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, and Bangladesh, Thumba is one located at a far off place.