Sriharikota

Sriharikota, the very mention of this place brings images of rockets and satellites to our minds. But is that all? Little is known about the other facets of this fascinating island. Who are the original inhabitants and how did they live? Why is it called a barrier island? Why did Dr. Sarabhai choose this island? There are so many unheard stories…

Launch of GSLV with G-SAT29 Source: Wikimedia Commons

Kota means a fort or a stronghold.  True to its name, Sriharikota is indeed a stronghold of the space aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians.  A modern spaceport- one of a kind.

Barrier Island- SriharikotaSource: JAXA Space Technology Directorate

Before ISRO took over Sriharikota in 1969, it was covered with herbs, tropical dry evergreen forests, coconut groves, and plantations of casuarina, eucalyptus, cashew, and palmyra trees.   The island was populated by a semi-nomadic Telugu-speaking tribe called the Yanadis.  The Yanadis were majorly a hunting and gathering community with little contact with the outside world until a road was built by the British in the 1800s.  They fished in the inland streams and ponds,  gathered forest produce, and performed menial jobs.

The Yanadis Source: Wikimedia Commons

ISRO has always been actively engaged in the development and upliftment of the Yanadis from its inception.  Dr. Satish Dhawan, the then Chairman of ISRO put in great efforts to initiate a humanitarian five-year action project for their rehabilitation and resettlement.

Rehabilatation of Yanadis Source :ISRO

The Yanadis have a deep knowledge of the forest, especially medicinal herbs.    Researchers are studying these herbs used by the tribal Yanadi doctors or naatu vaidyam and are coming up with ethno-medicinal recipes for various respiratory and cardiac diseases.

Another remarkable feat is that the presence of ISRO at Sriharikota has made a marked difference in the protection of its rich biodiversity. ISRO’s status as a restricted area has protected the flora and fauna from illegal and unrestrained human activities.  An ISRO-sponsored botanical study resulted in the setting up of the SHAR Herbarium.   Scientists have classified and showcased a  collection of about 428 species of flora with many of them growing exclusively on the island of Sriharikota.

The spindle-shaped island covers an area of roughly 175 square kilometres and has a 50 kilometre coastline.  It is called a barrier island as it separates the Pulicat Lake from the  Bay of Bengal. The lake is a great ecosystem for many species of birds, fish, and invertebrates. The area is a key wintering ground for migratory birds like greater and minor flamingoes, grey pelicans, spot-billed ducks, grey plovers, painted storks, and many species of ducks and gulls. The Sriharikota Road has a number of dedicated bird viewpoints along its route for birding.

Painted Stork Source: Wikipedia

Spot-Billed Duck  Source: Wikipedia

Sriharikota road cutting across Pulicat Lake Source: Wikipedia

Birding on Sriharikota Road  Source: Wikimedia Commons

When Dr. Vikram Sarabhai was scouting for an ideal location to launch India’s satellites, Sriharikota aced the list of potential sites for a number of reasons.

The land mass of Sriharikota sits on solid rock and has the capacity and strength to withstand the shockwaves produced during a launch.    It has enough room for all the hi-tech infrastructure needed for space launches.

The earth spins from west to east, so all launches are directed eastwards to save on precious fuel and take advantage of the earth’s rotational speed to boost the launch.

The island's strategic location along the eastern coast ensures safety when the spent rocket stages fall into the Bay of Bengal, far from any populated areas or foreign territory.

The earth spins fastest at the equator. Sriharikota’s proximity to the equator helps rockets make use of this rotational velocity to propel faster into space. The large island has a large uninhabited area for testing and performing potentially dangerous operations like fuelling.

It is well connected by road and sea to major cities and has a favourable climate for rocket launches. All these factors make Sriharikota the second-best location in the world for rocket launches after Kennedy Space Center.

With the success of Chandrayaan-3  and Aditya L1 missions, Sriharikota has come a long way from being an island inhabited by tribals to a world-class spaceport.

Spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre(SHAR) Source: ISRO