Skyroot Aerospace To Launch India's First Privately Developed Rocket Between November 12 And 16 On Maiden Mission

Prarambh: The rocket, named Vikram-S, will carry three customer payloads and launch from the Indian Space Research Organisation's launchpad at Sriharikota. This is Skyroot Aerospace's maiden mission.

Hyderabad-based Indian space-tech startup Skyroot Aerospace is set to launch India's first privately developed rocket between November 12 and 16, as part of the firm's maiden mission, called Prarambh. The rocket, named Vikram-S, will carry three customer payloads and launch from the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO's) launchpad at Sriharikota. The mission is also a first for the Indian private space sector, Skyroot Aerospace announced on Twitter Tuesday. 

The Chairman of ISRO, S Somanath, unveiled the mission patch for Prarambh. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe) is supporting the mission.

Quoting Skyroot Aerospace CEO and co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana, a PTI report said a launch window between November 12 and 16 has been notified by authorities, and the final date will be confirmed based on weather conditions. 

Skyroot Aerospace is set to become India’s first private company to launch a rocket into space

If Prarambh is successful, Skyroot Aerospace will become the first private space company in India to launch a rocket into space. This will mark the beginning of a new era for the India space sector, which was opened up for commercialisation in 2020. 

Naga Bharath Daka, Chief Operating Officer of Skyroot Aerospace, said in a statement that the Vikram-S rocket is a single-stage suborbital launch vehicle that would carry three customer payloads and help test and validate the majority of the technologies in the Vikram series of space launch vehicles, according to the report.

Skyroot could build and get the Vikram-S rocket mission ready in such a short time only because of the "invaluable" support from ISRO and INSPACe, Chandana said. 

Why Skyroot Aerospace’s rocket series is called ‘Vikram’

Skyroot Aerospace has named its series launch vehicles 'Vikram' as a tribute to Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space Programme and founder of ISRO. 

Skyroot Aerospace aims to advance its mission to make space flights affordable, reliable and regular for all.

Vikram is a series of modular space launch vehicles especially crafted for the small satellite market, and is expected to enable the launch of more than 20,000 small satellites in the coming decade. The launch vehicles have unique capabilities like multi-orbit insertion and performing interplanetary missions, according to Skyroot Aerospace.