The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) was established in November 1947 in a few rooms in M.G. Science Institute of the Ahmedabad Education Society, which was founded by his parents. Subsequently, it got support from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of Atomic Energy.
Sarabhai established a permanent recording station at Ahmedabad, and subsequently two more, at Kodaikanal (1951) and Trivandrum (1955).
With active support from Homi Bhabha (1906-1966) Sarabhai set up the first Rocket Launching station (TERLS) in the country at Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram on the Arabian Coast, as Thumba is very close to the Equator.
