The lead Centre of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the Government of India’s Department of Space. Founded in 1962 as the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, the Centre is located at Thumba on the southwest coast of India and now honours Vikram A Sarabhai, the Centre’s visionary and father of India’s space programme. The Centre specializes in rocket research and is the ISRO’s launch vehicle. Its Space Physics Laboratory also carries out research in atmospheric science and other related space science activities. India’s historic launches of the Chandrayaan (India’s first lunar probe) and the Mars Orbiter Mission were from this site. Its ongoing programmes include the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, Rohini Sounding Rockets, and next-generation launchers such as the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III and the Reusable Launch Vehicle.