Page 3 - Spec Tech Vol 1 Issue 09
P. 3
India’s first private rocket, built by startup
Skyroot, makes successful launch
Image Credit: Skyroot Aerospace
India’s space agency has successfully (IN-SPACe) to allow private companies to
launched the Vikram-S after much use ISRO’s infrastructure. New Delhi also
anticipation and years-long work in a boost set up NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) as
to the private sector of the nation’s space the space agency’s commercial arm to work
industry. closely with private companies and startups
The Indian Space Research Organization to bolster space developments in the South
(ISRO) kicked off the suborbital rocket at Asian country.
11:30 a.m. local time Friday from the Satish “I am happy to announce the successful
Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. completion of mission Prarambh, ‘the
The Vikram-S, developed by four-year-old beginning’ of Skyroot Aerospace. The rocket
startup Skyroot Aerospace, is a VKS [Vikram-S] took off at an LEA (launch
single-stage, spin-stabilized solid-propellant elevation) of 80 degrees and azimuth of 100
rocket with a mass of around 550 kilograms. degrees, achieved an altitude of 89.5
It carries three customer payloads, including kilometers and a range of 121.2 kilometers
one from a customer outside India. Made of — exactly what was planned by Skyroot
all-carbon fibre core structure, the six-meter- Aerospace. All systems, as I can make out,
long rocket was developed in two years. worked as planned and Skyroot Aerospace
The demonstration mission, named has demonstrated capability of various
Prarambh (“the beginning” in Sanskrit), is subsystems that will go into the orbital
the first by Hyderabad-based Skyroot. The launch vehicle,” said Pawan Goenka,
startup is building a series of launch chairperson of IN-SPACe, Department of
vehicles named after Vikram Sarabhai, the Space, after the successful launch.
founder of India’s space program. Founded in 2018 by former ISRO scientists
In June 2020, the Indian government Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath
passed the space sector reforms and Daka, Skyroot successfully test-fired India’s
established the Indian National Space privately made solid-rocket stage in
Promotion and Authorization Center December 2020. It was also the country’s
Space Explorer 2022 3