Learning How to Fly: Life Lessons for the Youth

by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

The second mission of SLV-3 took place on 18 July 1980. It was six-thirty in the morning. The whole nation’s attention was trained on SHAR launch complex in Sriharikota, now named after Professor Satish Dhawan as a great tribute to him. The mission teams were busy during the countdown, carefully watching the flight sequence. At T-0 the vehicle took off and we witnessed a textbook trajectory. After nearly 600 seconds of the flight, I realized every stage had given the required velocity including the fourth stage. I made an announcement, ‘Mission director calling all stations. The SLV-3 has given the required velocity and right altitude to put Rohini satellite in the orbit. Our down range stations and global stations will get the orbit of the satellite within an hour.’ There was thunderous applause from all the stations and from the visitors’ gallery.