2. The ISSP

The ISSP setting up activity started at a very quick pace with the moving of engineers and scientists from SSD as well as from PRL. Simultaneously, ISRO Head Quarters office and Department of Space were being set up at Gymkhana of Indian Institute of Science. Space Application Centre (SAC) was set up at Ahmedabad to develop applications from satellite data as well to develop satellite payloads. SSTC at Trivandrum was renamed as Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in the honour of the founder, and Prof Brahm Prakash was appointed its director. ISSP was adding new engineers in all disciplines of satellite technology and an electronics laboratory was set up in A5 and A6 sheds. Test facilities like vibration test tables, hot and cold chambers, mechanical workshop and a one-meter thermo-vacuum chamber were set up. Institutions like HAL, CMTI and CIL, and private companies like Hegde and Gole were engaged for quick turn around and for utilising their expertise. Interaction with the Russian team started twice a year, once in Bangalore and once in Moscow. This period of two and a half years was of a very hectic pace of developing and testing of the satellite subsystems and integrating the satellite. The ISSP was launched on 19 April 1975 from the Russian launch complex, and the data was received at ISTRAC ground station at Shri Hari Kota (SHAR). It was renamed as Aryabhata after the launch.