TERLS:- Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station
TERLS stands for Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station. Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station is an Indian Spaceport operated by Indian Space and Research organization. It is located at Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram in the state of Kerala. It is near the southern tip of the Indian Mainland and is very close to the magnetic equator. It is currently used by ISRO to launch sounding rockets or research rockets which carry equipment to conduct the scientific experiment during its suborbital flight. Thumba’s location near the earth’s magnetic equator makes it ideal for the scientist to conduct atmospheric experiments near it. Thumba also has strategic location as it is the farthest point from Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh and hence is difficult to be kept under surveillance. TERLS completed its 50 years in 2013.