India's First Private Rocket graced the skies!

India’s maiden private Vikram-suborbital (VKS) rocket to grace the skies!

“Do not just wish for it work for it!”

About VKS Rocket

• The non-governmental organization/startup Skyroot Aerospace Pvt Ltd (SAPL) is responsible for developing the VKS rocket.
• In addition to being the first private launch in the country, Prarambh will mark Skyroot Aerospace's inaugural mission. Three payloads in total, including one from the international clients, will be carried into orbit by it.
• It weighs around 550 kilogrammes and is a single-stage spin-stabilized solid propellant rocket.
• The rocket's launch lasts only 300 seconds and reaches a maximum altitude of 101 kilometres before splashing into the ocean.
• The first startup to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with ISRO for the launch of its rockets was Skyroot.
• Vikram series is named after Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space Industry

About Launch

India’s first ever private Vikram Suborbital rocket was launched on November 18, 2022 on 11:30 AM from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The rocket reached an altitude of 89.5 km with three payloads weighing a total of 83 kilogram.

The rocket safely splashed in the waters of the Bay of Bengal at around 115 km after the lift-off from Sriharikota. Praram, the mission of the rocket has the payloads from Space Kidz India, Bazoomq Armenia and N-Space Tech India and are equipped with sensors for the measurement of acceleration, pressure, and others.

About Skyroot

Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited?is an Indian private?aerospace manufacturer?and commercial?launch service provider?headquartered in?Hyderabad. The company was founded by former engineers and scientists from?ISRO. It aims to develop and launch its own series of?small lift launch vehicles?especially crafted for the small satellite market.

Skyroot Aerospace was formed in July 2018 by former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana, Naga Bharath Daka through the support of?Vasudevan Gnanagandhi?as well as a small group of entrepreneurs including CureFit founders?Mukesh Bansal?and Ankit Nago.

On 6 October 2020, the National Start-up Awards 2020 were declared by the union minister of commerce and industry? Piyush Goyal , where Skyroot Aerospace has emerged as the winner. The National Start-up Awards are given in recognition of start-ups across several categories that offer novel solutions for complex problems in the country, and creating businesses that are scalable and sustainable.

In February 2021,? ISRO and Skyroot Aerospace signed a NDA. The NDA will allow Skyroot Aerospace to access the facilities and technical expertise in ISRO centres to develop their launch vehicles.

In September 2021, the list of "The 2021?LinkedIn?Top Start-ups was revealed with 25 young, emerging companies where India wants to work. Skyroot Aerospace was ranked 7th on this LinkedIn's 2021 Top start-up’s List in India.

The company has been developing its first launch vehicle, the "Vikram 1," which is on track for its initial launch around the end of 2022.

Words of Leaders

Speaking after the launch Union Minister of Space Dr Jitendra Singh said that it was a new beginning for India's space program. He said that this was a major step in creating India's own space ecosystem.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has congratulated ISRO and IN-SPACE for country's first-ever private launch of Vikram Suborbital rocket.

Mr. Thakur said, country is first ever private rocket Vikrams named after Vikram Sarabhai launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. He said, it is just the start for self-reliant Indian private sector in the space sector.?

The Minister said, the launch has put India among the frontline Space Powers of the World and many aspiring countries will look forward to take cues from Indian expertise.

The Minister underlined that Narendra Modi has enabled India to earn universal recognition for India's science, technology, innovation capabilities and our Start Ups are much sought after. The whole world is looking at India as an inspirational place, as it is helping budding countries in capacity building and satellite building including nanosatellites, he said.

Success

Pawan Kumar Chowdhury, one of the founder of Skyroot, a start up in Space technology said that the vehicle reached the space altitude of 89.5 kms and completed the required mission objective.

AIR correspondent reports, the onlookers viewing the launch in Sriharikota had little of the rocket to be seen on air since it is a one stage sub orbital rocket.

The rocket requires minimal range infrastructure and can be assembled and launched within 24 hours from any launch site. This mission was the result of the MOU signed between the Skyroot agency and ISRO.