Skyroot's pioneering efforts will strengthen India's position as global space leader: VP Radhakrishnan
New Delhi, July 29
Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Wednesday met Skyroot Aerospace Co-founder and CEO Pawan Chandana and his team at Parliament House, where they discussed the company's journey, the successful Vikram-1 mission and its vision for the future of India's space sector.
In a post on X, Radhakrishnan congratulated the Skyroot Aerospace team on the achievement and said that the company's pioneering efforts would further strengthen India's position as a global leader in space.
"Met Skyroot Aerospace Co-founder & CEO Pawan Chandana Ji, along with his team, at Parliament House today. We discussed the inspiring journey of Skyroot Aerospace, the successful Vikram-1 mission, India's first privately developed orbital launch vehicle and Skyroot's vision for the future of India's space sector. I congratulated the entire team at Skyroot Aerospace on this remarkable achievement and conveyed my best wishes for their future endeavours, and expressed confidence that their pioneering efforts would continue to strengthen India's position as a global leader in the space sector," he wrote.
On July 18, Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 successfully reached orbit, marking the maiden flight of India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket. The rocket completed its final burn and injected its payloads into a nearly 450-km orbit, making India the third country in the world with private orbital launch capability.
The mission, named "Mission Aagaman", was executed from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The 24-metre carbon-composite rocket completed all planned flight stages, including stage separations and the firing of its Orbital Adjustment Module (OAM).
The Orbital Adjustment Module fired its 3D-printed liquid engine for the final push to orbit. The module is designed to start, stop and restart in space. During the flight--Kalam-1200, the solid first stage carried the rocket through the thickest part of the atmosphere before separating cleanly. The payload fairing was then separated, exposing the satellites to space for the first time.
The second stage, Kalam-250, completed its burn and separated, followed by the ignition of Kalam-100, the smallest and highest-flying solid stage of Vikram-1. The solid-propulsion phase concluded with the separation of Stage 3, paving the way for the Orbital Adjustment Module to complete the mission.
The Vikram-1 rocket, powered by three solid-fuel stages and a liquid orbital adjustment module, is designed to deploy payloads up to 350 kg into a 450-km Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The maiden flight carried multiple payloads, including the "Diamond Lotus", a lab-grown diamond from Bengaluru-based Cosmos Diamonds.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Fantastic news! As someone working in the space industry in the US, this is incredibly exciting. India's private sector is showing the world what innovation combined with determination can achieve. The 3D-printed liquid engine and carbon-composite structure are cutting-edge. Congratulations to the whole Skyroot team - you've inspired a generation!
Just yesterday I was reading about how space startups are booming in India, and now this! Vikram-1 carrying a lab-grown diamond into orbit - that's both symbolic and practical. Space diamonds for future electronics manufacturing? The potential is mind-blowing. But I hope the government ensures proper regulations for private space launches. Safety first, yaar! ✨
Impressive achievement, but let's not get carried away. Skyroot has launched one test flight successfully, which is great, but we need sustained launches and profitability before declaring India a "global leader." I hope the company focuses on reducing costs and increasing launch frequency. Competition from SpaceX and Rocket Lab won't be easy. Still, a commendable start for Indian private space sector!
The name "Vikram-1" itself brings so much emotion - named after Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of our space program. And now a private company is carrying that legacy forward. The 24-metre carbon-composite rocket, the 3D-printed engine, the multiple stage separations - everything worked perfectly. This is what happens when young Indian engineers are given freedom and resources. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
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