Satish Dhawan Space Centre

Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) on Sriharikota Island, Andhra Pradesh, is India's primary orbital launch facility, operated by ISRO since 1971. The spaceport features two launch pads: the First Launch Pad (FLP, commissioned 1993) and the Second Launch Pad (SLP, commissioned 2005), both capable of supporting PSLV and GSLV variants. SHAR's strategic location at approximately 13.7°N latitude — close to the equator — provides favorable launch geometry for GTO and sun-synchronous missions. The facility has hosted over 100 missions, including PSLV-C37 which set the world record for most satellites launched on a single rocket (104 satellites, 2017). SHAR is being upgraded to support Gaganyaan human spaceflight missions, with crew recovery and escape system test infrastructure added. The centre employs approximately 2,500 staff and is central to India's launch cadence of 8–12 missions per year.