It was established in 1972 as Indian Scientific Satellite Project (ISSP) in Peenya Industrial Estates of Bangalore.

[1] ISAC was renamed as U. R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) after the former ISRO Chairman and ISAC founding director Dr. Udupi Ramachandra Rao with effect from 2 April 2018.

The centre launched its 100th satellite on 12 January 2018,[2] encompassing the INSAT series, the IRS series, and GSAT communication satellites.

Organisations under URSC include the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS) and the ISRO Satellite Integration and Testing Establishment (ISITE).

Like other ISRO centres, URSC is organised using matrix management.