Turning Points (10 page)
We crossed a milestone recently. On 19 April 2012, the tension sharpened at the launch area at Wheeler Island on the Odisha coast as the massive, 50-tonne, 17.5-metre-high Agni V missile was elevated into the vertical launch position, and the pre-launch checks began. At 8.07 a.m. the countdown began and a giant ball of fire leaped out as the missile’s first stage ignited. As Agni V rose smoothly off the launch pad, scientists checked its systems audibly on the public address system, their voices calm, in contrast to the tension among the viewers. After 90 seconds, the first stage burnt out and separated. The missile was travelling at exactly the speed it should have been. Then, on schedule, the all-new composite second stage burnt out and separated.
Within minutes, the missile was in space, streaking southwards for 2,000 km until it crossed the equator. Then, it hurtled along for another 3,000 km, re-entering the atmosphere over the Tropic of Capricorn and splashing down between the southern tip of Africa and Australia. From launch to splashdown it took just 20 minutes. Indian
naval vessels tracked the missile all along its course, including at the terminal stage. The missile hit the target within the pre-determined accuracy.
The IGMDP was sanctioned at a cost of nearly Rs 400 crore in 1983. This programme envisaged development, production and deployment of four missile systems namely, a surface-to-surface missile (Prithvi); a medium-range surface-to-air missile (Akash); a short-range quick reaction surface-to-air missile (Trishul); and an anti-tank missile (Nag). In addition, a technology demonstration missile (Agni) was also a part of the programme, which was intended to show the re-entry characteristics of a long-range missile. This technology was first demonstrated on the Odisha coast in May 1989. Subsequently longer ranges of Agni I, II, III and IV were demonstrated during the last two decades with increasing range capabilities. And finally the scientists and engineers of DRDO facilitated the flight testing of Agni V, which is a 5,000 km range missile. All these missiles come under the category of MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) and other sanctions. Hence, neither the missile system, nor the technology needed for these systems will be available for purchase for a price. The system has to be realized in a hard way only through systematic research and development.
Hence, the successful testing of this missile holds a special significance in terms of self-reliance in critical technologies and empowers the country to follow an independent foreign policy.
My friend Dr V.K. Saraswat and his team briefed me on the launch of Agni V.
Allow me a little history. I mention one conversation from 1984 and the other occurred in 1991. I was director of DRDL at Hyderabad. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after sanctioning the IGMDP through her Cabinet in 1983 came to DRDL to review the programme the next year. While we were presenting the progress of the programme, Mrs Gandhi saw a world map in the conference hall. She asked us to stop the presentation and directed our attention to the world map. She said, ‘Kalam, look at the map, look at the distances shown there. When will the laboratory launch a missile which will be capable of reaching places as far away as that to meet any contingency’ (she pointed to a spot 5,000 km away from Indian territory). Of course, our DRDO scientists have now achieved the goal envisioned by this great stateswoman.
Subsequently, when Prithvi had demonstrated successful performance, the army came up with another important requirement. The army wanted to have a confirmatory test, on a land range, to validate Circular Error Probability (CEP). Our efforts to conduct the test in our desert range could not take off due to range safety and geopolitical problems. To overcome this we were looking for an uninhabited island on the eastern coast. On the hydrographic map supplied by the navy, we saw a few islands in the Bay of Bengal off Dhamra (on the Odisha coast) indicating that there was some landmass there. Our range team consisting of Dr S.K. Salwan and Dr V.K. Saraswat hired a boat from Dhamra and went in search of the island. On the map these islands were marked as ‘Long Wheeler’, ‘Coconut Wheeler’ and ‘Small Wheeler’. The team carried a directional compass
and proceeded on the journey. They lost their way and could not locate Wheeler Island. Fortunately, they came across a few fishing boats and asked them for the route. The fisherman did not know about Wheeler Island but they said there was an island called ‘Chandrachood’. They thought that this could be the one they were looking for. They gave the direction for proceeding to Chandrachood. With their guidance the team could reach Chandrachood Island, which was later confirmed as Small Wheeler Island and had adequate width and length required for range operations.
To get to the island, we had to go through the Odisha bureaucracy. The necessity arose for a political decision from the chief minister (in 1993). At that time, Biju Patnaik, who was a powerful national leader, was the chief minister. The indications from the chief minister’s office were that the island could not be parted with for several reasons. However, an appointment was arranged for meeting Patnaik to put in our request. When we reached his office, the file was in front of him. The CM said, ‘Kalam, I have decided to give all the five islands at no cost to you (DRDO), but I will sign the file of approval only when you give me a promise.’ He held my hand and said, ‘You must make a missile that can protect us from even distant threats.’ I said, ‘Sir, definitely we will work for it.’ I immediately informed our defence minister. The chief minister signed the file and we got Small Wheeler Island.
Readers, as you might be aware, ISRO successfully launched India’s first Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1) on 26 April 2012. The satellite was on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C19) and launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. Subsequent to the injection of the satellite into orbit, the solar panels and antenna panels of C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar of RISAT-1 were successfully deployed. Further, the satellite was successfully placed into polar sun-synchronous orbit through a series of four orbit-raising manoeuvres. High quality images, starting from Gangotri and passing through Bhopal and parts of north Karnataka were acquired and processed on 1 May 2012.
The mission illustrates some important technologies. I will mention some aspects in brief.
Unlike optical remote sensing satellites, the Synthetic Aperture Radar in RISAT-1 transmits its own radar pulses for imaging of the earth surface. This facilitates cloud penetration and imaging even without sunlight. Thus it can image an area irrespective of the weather and sunlight conditions. RISAT-1 has imaging capabilities in multiple modes and polarizations with imaging resolutions from 1 to 50 metres and swath coverage from 10 km to 223 km. Important applications of RISAT-1 include agricultural sector mapping of paddy crops during kharif season through identification, classification and acreage estimation and mapping of inundated areas during floods and cyclones as a part of disaster management, besides numerous other applications.
This is only to give a glimpse of our confidence and the range of our space activities. There are many other successes
I could elaborate upon. For instance, the test flight of the naval variant of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) at Bengaluru on a partially cloudy day. With the successful maiden flight of the LCA’s naval variant, India joins an elite club of countries capable of designing, developing, manufacturing and testing the fourth generation carrier-borne fly-by-wire ‘ski take off but arrested recovery’ (Stobar) aircraft. The naval variant is the first attempt to provide a complete marine force multiplier that will give unique battle capability to the naval aviation arm of the twenty-first century Indian Navy. Its accomplishment represents success in overcoming a series of design challenges.
Information technology and communication technology have already converged leading to Information and Communication Technology. Information technology combined with biotechnology has led to bio-informatics. Similarly, photonics has emerged from the labs to converge with classical electronics and microelectronics and bring in new high-speed options in consumer products. Flexible and unbreakable displays using a thin layer of film on transparent polymers have emerged as new symbols of entertainment and media tools. Now, nanotechnology has come in. It is the field of the future that will replace microelectronics and many fields with tremendous application potential in the areas of medicine, electronics and material science.
When nanotechnology and ICT meet, integrated silicon electronics, photonics are born and it can be said that
material convergence will happen. With material convergence and biotechnology linked, a new science called Intelligent Bioscience will be born which would lead to a disease-free society with longevity and high capabilities.
The convergence of science is reciprocating. Let me give an example. Recently, I was at Harvard University where I visited the laboratories of many eminent professors from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. I recall how Prof. Hongkun Park showed me his invention of nano needles, which can pierce and deliver content into individual targeted cells. That’s how nanoparticle science is shaping the biosciences. Then I met Prof. Vinod Manoharan, who showed on the other hand how bioscience is in turn shaping nanomaterial science as well. He is using DNA material to design self-assembling particles. When a particular type of DNA is applied on a particle at the atomic level, it is able to generate a prefixed behaviour and automatic assembly. This could be our answer to self-assembly of devices and colonies in deep space without human intervention as envisioned by Dr K. Eric Drexler. Thus, within a single research building, I saw how two different sciences are shaping each other. This reciprocal contribution of sciences to one another is going to shape our future and industry needs to be ready for it. We need to bring down the barriers existing between various technological groups that inhibit research.
Lastly, globally, the demand is shifting towards development of sustainable systems which are technologically superior. This is the new dimension of the twenty-first-century knowledge society, where science,
technology and environment will have to work together. Thus, the new-age model would be a four-dimensional bio-nano-info-eco-based one holding exciting possibilities.
I would like to ask you, what would you like to be remembered for? You should write it down. It could be an important contribution, whether it is an invention, an innovation or a change that you bring about in society that the nation will remember you for.
The lamps are different
But the light is same.
Worldly joys you returned to the world,
You remain in my innermost soul.
T
he crash of the Airborne Surveillance Platform on 11 January 1999 left me devastated. It brought home a different facet of the scientific endeavour, a tragic one. My conversation with my friend Prof. Arun Tiwari brings out my feelings about this experiment that did not succeed as
planned. It is also my tribute to the people who participated in it.
Arun Tiwari (AT): The essential issues of life tend to arise naturally during transitions and intense events. They can also be brought forth through introspection. They arise especially as the soul learns to penetrate and transcend its ego structure. Franz Kafka wrote in his celebrated masterpiece ‘Metamorphosis’ on this theme.
APJ: I can see that. The period that followed the failure of the first flight of SLV-3 and the pre-launch difficulties in Agni’s first flight trial made me discover my real self in a very significant manner. But the Arakonam crash in 1999 was a devastating experience for me, also in terms of what it did to my ego structure.
AT: You have never discussed that. I could only see the tip of the iceberg of the enormous pain that you have always kept submerged in the ocean of your work. Would you like to share it?
APJ: More than the sharing aspect, I wish to express my gratitude to the eight young men who sacrificed their lives in a scientific endeavour. The nation must know about those unsung heroes. The pain their families suffered must be shared.