Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre VSSC a key launch vehicle development facility of the Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO is located in which Indian city?

Introduction / Context:
India space programme is managed by the Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO, which operates several specialised centres across the country. Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre VSSC is one of the most important, focusing mainly on launch vehicle development. Knowing the locations of major ISRO centres such as VSSC is a standard part of science and technology general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The question highlights the following points.

• We are dealing with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre abbreviated as VSSC.
• It is a major facility of ISRO concerned with space activities.
• We must identify the city where it is located.
• Options include Thiruvananthapuram, Pune, Sriharikota and Ahmedabad.

Concept / Approach:
Different ISRO centres are located in different cities. VSSC is primarily associated with Thiruvananthapuram in the state of Kerala. Sriharikota is the location of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, which is the main launch site. Ahmedabad hosts the Space Applications Centre, and Pune has other research institutes. The right approach is to match each facility with its correct city and then choose the option that corresponds to VSSC.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that VSSC is named after Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India space programme. Step 2: Remember that VSSC deals with design and development of launch vehicles and related technologies. Step 3: Identify that this centre is located at Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram on the Kerala coast. Step 4: Recognise that Satish Dhawan Space Centre for launching rockets is based at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, which is a different facility. Step 5: Note that Space Applications Centre is in Ahmedabad and other research units operate in Pune. Step 6: Conclude that Thiruvananthapuram is the correct city for VSSC.

Verification / Alternative check:
ISRO official website and many science textbooks provide an overview of its centres. They clearly list Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre as located in Thiruvananthapuram Kerala. Maps showing major ISRO installations also place VSSC on the south west coast. None of these sources associate VSSC with Pune, Sriharikota or Ahmedabad. Cross checking such references confirms that Thiruvananthapuram is the accurate answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B Pune hosts other scientific organisations and defence research units but not VSSC. Option C Sriharikota is famous for rocket launches, yet the centre there is Satish Dhawan Space Centre, not VSSC. Option D Ahmedabad is home to the Space Applications Centre focusing on satellite applications and related technologies. As these cities are associated with different institutions their names do not answer the specific question about VSSC.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse VSSC with the launch site at Sriharikota because both are connected with rockets. Others may mix up various ISRO centres and assign the wrong city due to partial memory. Some students also assume that Ahmedabad must be correct because of Dr Vikram Sarabhai link with that city, forgetting that this particular centre is situated in Kerala. Systematic revision of ISRO centres and their locations prevents such confusion.

Final Answer:
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre is located in Thiruvananthapuram.