India’s first-ever private rocket launch between Nov 12-16

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Skyroot Aerospace, a Hyderabad-based private space startup, will launch India’s first private rocket from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Sriharikota launchpad between November 12 and 16, 2022.

The maiden mission of Skyroot Aerospace, named ‘Prarambh’ (the beginning), will carry two Indian and one foreign customer payloads.

Indian space sector entering a new era

The Vikram-S rocket will be the country’s first space launch vehicle developed and operated entirely by a private company. This will mark the start of a new era for the space industry, which the government liberalized in June 2020 to allow for private-sector participation.

The final date of the launch mission will be determined by the weather conditions that prevail during the launch window. Skyroot’s chief operating officer, Naga Bharath Daka, confirmed in a statement that the launch mission will be a suborbital spaceflight carrying three customer payloads to the intended orbit.

Skyroot Aerospace

Skyroot Aerospace, based in Hyderabad, develops cutting-edge space launch vehicles for launching commercial satellites into space. It aims to disrupt entry barriers to cost-effective satellite launch services and spaceflight by advancing its mission to make spaceflights affordable, reliable, and consistent for all.

Skyroot raised $68 million to date, is India’s most funded private space startup, and one of the first to locally build fully 3D-printed rocket engines, which were successfully tested in November last year. On May 19, this year, the company also tested the Kalam-100, an indigenously built solid fuel engine.

Vikram Sarabhai Tribute

Skyroot’s launch vehicles are named ‘Vikram’ in honor of the Indian space program’s founder and renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai. He had helped in developing nuclear power in India and was honored with Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1972. He is also internationally regarded as the Father of the Indian Space Program.