Wings of fire - Sir APJ ABDUL KALAM Wings of fire | Page 51

Movers
The future satellite launch vehicle (SLV) had also been
conceived by this time. Recognising the immense socio-
economic benefits of space technology, Prof. Sarabhai
decided in 1969, to go full-steam ahead with the task of
establishing indigenous capability in building and launching
our own satellites. He personally participated in an aerial
survey of the east coast for a possible site for launching
satellite launch vehicles and large rockets.
Prof. Sarabhai was concentrating on the east coast in
order to let the launch vehicle take full advantage of the
earth’s west to east rotation. He finally selected the
Sriharikota island, 100 km north of Madras (now Chennai),
and thus the SHAR Rocket Launch Station was born. The
crescent-shaped island has a maximum width of 8 km and
lies alongside the coastline. The island is as big as Madras
city. The Buckingham Canal and the Pulicat lake form its
western boundary.
In 1968, we had formed the Indian Rocket Society.
Soon after, the INCOSPAR was reconstituted as an
advisory body under the Indian National Science Academy
(INSA) and the Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) was created under the Department of Atomic
Energy (DAE) to conduct space research in the country.
By this time, Prof. Sarabhai had already hand-picked a
team to give form to his dream of an Indian SLV. I consider
myself fortunate to have been chosen to be a project
leader. Prof. Sarabhai gave me the additional
responsibility of designing the fourth stage of the SLV. Dr
VR Gowarikar, MR Kurup and AE Muthunayagam were
given the tasks of designing the other three stages.
What made Prof. Sarabhai pick a few of us for this
great mission? One reason seemed to be our professional
background. Dr Gowarikar was doing outstanding work in
the field of composite propellants. MR Kurup had
established an excellent laboratory for propellants,
propulsion and pyrotechnics. Muthunayagam had proved
himself in the field of high energy propellants. The fourth
stage was to be a composite structure and called for a
large number of innovations in fabrication technology;
perhaps that was why I was brought in.
I laid the foundation for Stage IV on two rocks—sensible
approximation and unawed support. I have always
considered the price of perfection prohibitive and allowed
mistakes as a part of the learning process. I prefer a dash
of daring and persistence to perfection. I have always
supported learning on the part of my team members by
paying vigilant attention to each of their attempts, be they
successful or unsuccessful.
In my group, progress was recognized and reinforced at
every tiny step. Although I provided access to all the
information that my co-workers in Stage IV needed, I found I
could not spend enough time to be a useful facilitator and a
source of support. I wondered if there was something
wrong with the way in which I managed my time. At this
stage, Prof. Sarabhai brought a French visitor to our work
centre to point out the problem to me. This gentleman was
Prof. Curien, President of CNES (Centre Nationale de
Etudes Spatiales), our counterpart in France. They were
then developing the Diamont launch vehicles. Prof. Curien
was a thorough professional. Together, Prof. Sarabhai and
Prof. Curien helped me set a target. While they discussed
the means by which I could reach it, they also cautioned me
about the possibilities of failure. While I arrived at a better