Tofiq Kazym oglu Ismayilov was born on June 21, 1933 in Baku. Having successfully graduated from school in 1951, he entered the Moscow Electrotechnical Institute of Communications (now the Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics, abbreviated as MTUCI). In 1956, he graduated from the institute and began working at a closed enterprise of the military-industrial complex in Moscow, where he rose to the rank of the section manager in a short time. Tofiq Ismayilov, who actively participates in the social and political life of Moscow, was elected as a deputy of the Frunze District Council of Moscow. In 1959 he entered graduate school in Moscow. When a closed military-industrial enterprise related to his field of was opened in Baku, he was assigned to Baku. In 1966 he returned to his native city, and in the same year he was invited to work at the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR. Along with his work, Tofiq Ismayilov continues his scientific research, publishes a number of scientific papers.

In 1969, Tofiq Ismayilov, who defended his Ph.D. thesis, in parallel with his work at the Academy of Sciences,  he taught at the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Azerbaijan Polytechnic Institute. In 1973, under his leadership, the Caspian Science and Technology Center was established at the Academy of Sciences. The center conducting research in the field of space commissioned by state order, soon becomes the most effective organization in the republic associated with this new field. Tofiq Ismayilov, who united young and at the same time knowledgeable and active scientists around him, participated in the creation of a number of instruments used in Soviet spacecraft. In 1975, the scientific center, which had already gained authority throughout the Soviet Union, became the Research Institute of Aerospace Information under the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR. Tofiq Ismayilov was appointed director of the institute.

In 1978, the scientific center, which had already gained authority throughout the Soviet Union, became the Institute for Space Research of Natural Resources of Azerbaijan. Tofig Ismailov was appointed director of the institute. In 1981, on the basis of this organization and all enterprises subordinate to it, the "Scientific and Production Association of Space Research" was first created under the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR. Tofik Ismailov was appointed General Director of the association, which became the leading research and production enterprise of the republic. The association, which is one of the largest scientific centers of the republic, has already carried out research of international importance. Along with scientific instruments that regulate spacecraft flights, the agency created and produced instruments enabling  monitoring of the Earth and the water surface, for studying the bottom of the oceans and seas, determining the ecological state of our planet from space.

In 1979, Tofiq Ismayilov successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, he was awarded the academic degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences and the academic title of Professor. Shortly thereafter, given the great importance of one of the devices he invented, he was awarded the State Prize of the Azerbaijan SSR.
Tofiq Ismayilov, awarded the title of Honored Scientist, is the author of more than 200 scientific papers, 90 of which are devoted to his inventions. Under his leadership, 3 doctoral and 12 master's theses were defended. In 1989, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR Tofiq Ismayilov was elected a full member of the International Academy of Engineering.

Tofiq Ismayilov was the editor of the international scientific and technical journal “Remote Sensing Summary Journal” (Washington), the editor of the journal “Space Research Data Scientific and Industrial Association”, the editorial staff of the journal “Proceedings of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences” (in physics , technical and mathematical sciences). He was also a member of the International Astronomical Union, the Astro Council of the USSR Academy of Sciences, a member of the Bureau for the Study of Natural Resources by Space Means of the USSR Academy of Sciences, the Scientific and Technical Council of the Main Space Administration of the USSR, the Scientific Council of the USSR Academy of Sciences and the State Committee for Science and Technology, as well as the Chairman of the Azerbaijan Cosmonautics Federation of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In 1989, he was elected a people's deputy of the USSR, a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, a member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (Communist Party of the Soviet Union) and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan. Academician Tofiq Ismayilov was a well-known scientist in the field of creating special devices. Of particular importance were his proposals on the theory and application of satellite measurement methods in the calibration ranges of aerospace control. X-ray telescopes "PS-17BK" and "Pulsar Kh-1", developed under his leadership and with personal participation, worked with great success on the orbital stations "Salyut-Soyuz-T-11" and "Mir". "Pulsar X-1" participated in the discovery of an extreme star, and "PS-17 BK" (helicopter version) was widely used in determining the radiation situation in the area of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

In September 1991, Tofiq Ismayilov was appointed the first State Secretary of the Republic of Azerbaijan. For services to the people, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, the medal  " For the Valorous Labor ",  the State Prize of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the field of science and technology, honorary medals named after K. E. Tsialkovsky, S. P. Korolev and Yu. A Gagarin.

Tofiq Ismayilov died tragically on November 20, 1991 as a result of the crash of a MI-8 helicopter shot down by Armenians over Garakend.

Recommended literature:

1. Səlimbəyli, Şöhrət Əlvənd oğlu. Terrorizm: qan çilənən torpaqlar / Ş. Ə. Səlimbəyli, M. Dostuyev ; red. Q. Ə. Hacıyev. IV kitab. - Bakı: Avropa nəşriyyatı, 2013. - 504 s.
2. Erməni cinayətləri: sənədlər əsasında / red. heyəti: L. Babayev [et al.] ; ön sözün müəl. Y. M. Mahmudov ; elmi red. M. Cəfərli. I cild. - Bakı : Vətən nəşriyyatı, 2004. - 164 s.
3. Rövşən Novruzoğlu. GENOSID... ECOCID. Bakı: «Adiloğlu» nəşriyyatı, 2006. - 544 s.
4. Mustafayev, Chingiz Feyruz oglu. Terrorism: definition, causes, awareness and prognostication: monograph / C. F. Mustafayev ; Institute of Human Rights of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. - Baku : Chinar-Chap, 2005. - 174 p.
5. Иманов, Камран Султан оглы. "Армянский геноцид" или армянский террор? / К. С. Иманов; Бакинский международный центр мультикультурализма, Агентства по авторским правам Азербайджанской Республики. - Баку : б. и., 2016. - 64 с.