Thumba was selected as a rocket launching station due to a number of factors, including:

• Its location near the magnetic equator. The magnetic equator is the line around the Earth where the Earth's magnetic field is strongest. This is important for rocket launching because it allows rockets to launch into space with more thrust.
• Its proximity to the sea. The sea is a good place to launch rockets because it provides a soft landing area for rockets that fail to reach orbit.

• Its low population density. Thumba is a small village with a low population density. This is important for rocket launching because it minimizes the risk of injury or damage in the event of a rocket launch failure.
• Its good weather conditions. Thumba has good weather conditions for most of the year. This is important for rocket launching because it minimizes the risk of launch delays due to bad weather.

In addition to these factors, Thumba was also selected as a rocket launching station because it was located in India, which was a developing country with a strong commitment to space exploration. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was founded in 1962, and it quickly became one of the leading space agencies in the world. Thumba was the first rocket launching station in India, and it played a key role in the early development of the Indian space program.

The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) is still in use today, and it is one of the most important rocket launching stations in India. TERLS has been used to launch a variety of rockets, including sounding rockets, satellites, and even a lunar probe. It is also a popular site for scientific research, and it has been used to study the Earth's atmosphere and the ionosphere.