Sriharikota is a barrier island. It lies in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of Andhra Pradesh. Sriharikota is of tactical importance to India, as it is an ideal launch site for geostationary satellites.
Its location is remote enough to ensure that human beings are not exposed to any danger in the case of an accident, yet accessible enough by land, air and water to transport huge machinery and equipment without any problems.
The climate too, is suitable. Heavy rains come only in October and November, so outdoor testing is possible for the remaining ten months of the year.
For these reasons, Sriharikota houses the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, one of the two satellite launch centres in India. The other is the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram.