The Space Applications Centre (SAC), a major centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for satellite applications, is located in which Indian city?

Introduction / Context:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) operates several specialised centres across India, each focusing on different aspects of the space programme such as launch vehicles, satellites and applications. The Space Applications Centre (SAC) plays a crucial role in developing payloads and applications for communication, meteorology, remote sensing and navigation satellites. This question checks whether you know the city where SAC is located, an important point in both space science and Indian geography questions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- The institution mentioned is the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO. - The question asks for the city where SAC is located. - Options include Ahmedabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad and Mumbai. - Candidates are expected to distinguish between different ISRO centres and their locations.

Concept / Approach:
ISRO's centres are spread across India: for example, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre is in Thiruvananthapuram, the U R Rao Satellite Centre is in Bengaluru and the Satish Dhawan Space Centre is at Sriharikota near Nellore. The Space Applications Centre is based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and works on satellite communication, remote sensing applications and related technology. The approach is to recognise SAC among this network and correctly associate it with Ahmedabad rather than confusing it with other ISRO facilities in different cities.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by checking official ISRO documentation or reliable general knowledge books. These usually list SAC, Ahmedabad as one of ISRO's major centres, alongside centres in Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, Sriharikota and others. Maps showing the distribution of ISRO institutions across India also mark SAC at Ahmedabad. These consistent references confirm that Ahmedabad is the right city for this question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Thiruvananthapuram is the location of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, not SAC. Hyderabad is known more for the National Remote Sensing Centre and other defence related laboratories. Mumbai houses organisations like BARC and TIFR but not the Space Applications Centre. None of the above would be correct only if SAC were in a completely different city, but since it is clearly in Ahmedabad, that option must be selected.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students mix up ISRO centres because they know the names but not the exact locations. A typical confusion is between SAC in Ahmedabad and remote sensing related facilities in Hyderabad, since both work with satellite data. Another pitfall is assuming that all major ISRO centres are in southern India, which leads to ignoring Ahmedabad. To avoid such mistakes, create a short list mapping each major centre to its city and revise it regularly.

Final Answer:
The Space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO is located in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.