ISRO to launch India's first private rocket of Hyderabad start-up Skyroot

HYDERABAD : The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) at Sriharikota is set to launch India's first private rocket, 'Vikram-S', between November 12 and 16, 2022. The launch vehicle was developed by Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot.

Preparations are in full swing for the launch of Vikram-S at ISRO's launch pad in Sriharikota.

The mission, named 'Prarambh,' which means 'the beginning,' represents a new era for India's private space sector and the first mission of Skyroot. The inaugural mission was unveiled on November 7, 2022 in Bangalore by ISRO Chairman, Dr S Somanath, following technical launch clearance from the Space regulator IN-SPACe.

ISRO Chairman and Secretary DoS Dr. S. Somanath (right) unveiling the mission patch of Prarambh in the presence of Pawan Kumar Chandana (middle) and Naga Bharath Daka (left), co-founders of Skyroot Aerospace

Authorities have announced a launch window between November 12 and 16, with the final date and time to be fixed based on conducive weather conditions. With this, Skyroot Aerospace is set to become the first private space company in India to launch a rocket into space, ushering in a new era for the space sector, which was recently opened up for private sector participation. Skyroot, a two-time national award winner, is the first Indian startup to sign a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with ISRO in this regard.

Pawan Kumar Chandana, CEO and Co-Founder of Skyroot Aerospace, reflected on this goal. "We were able to build and launch our Vikram-S rocket in such a short period of time because of the invaluable assistance we received from ISRO and IN-SPACe, as well as the inherent technological talent that we possess. We are pleased to announce our ground-breaking mission, 'Prarambh,' dedicated to the Indian private space sector, which has benefited greatly from reforms guided by the government of India and its vision," he said in a press release.

Skyroot has named the inaugural series of its launch vehicles as 'Vikram' in honour of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, a renowned scientist and the founder of India's space programme. "The Vikram-S rocket is a single-stage sub-orbital launch vehicle that will carry three customer payloads and help test and validate the majority of the technologies in the Vikram series of space launch vehicles," said Naga Bharath Daka, COO and Co-Founder of Skyroot Aerospace. The launch will take place at ISRO's spaceport in Sriharikota, which boasts of world-class launch infrastructure.