Space Start-Up Skyroot Aerospace Unveils Vikram-1 Rocket
On Tuesday, Indian space start-up Skyroot Aerospace unveiled its first indigenously built Vikram-1 rocket, which is set to deliver satellites to low earth orbit early next year. The launch was inaugurated by India’s Minister of Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, at the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park at Mamidipally in South Hyderabad.
The Vikram-1 rocket is a three-stage launch vehicle powered by a combination of solid and liquid engines. It is designed to deploy a wide variety of payloads into low earth orbit, including small satellites, CubeSats, and microsatellites. The rocket is projected to place payloads up to 400 kg into a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit.
The rocket launch was preceded by the inauguration of the MAX-Q Campus, the newly constructed headquarters of Skyroot Aerospace. The new facility will provide the space start-up with the resources to fabricate, test, and assemble their rockets. It will house a state-of-the-art launch pad, a testing chamber, and a control center as well as a hangar for storing the rockets.
Speaking at the launch, Jitendra Singh praised the efforts of the Skyroot team in creating a new engine for the Vikram-1 rocket. He remarked, “It is my pleasure to join Skyroot Aerospace in launching the Vikram-1 rocket, a product of Indian engineering at its finest. This is a proud moment for the entire nation to witness the first-of-its-kind space technology indigenously developed by Skyroot.”
In addition to launching the Vikram-1 rocket, Skyroot also unveiled its image-based navigation system. This system is designed to provide accurate positioning and navigation of satellites during launch as well as in orbit.
The Vikram-1 rocket marks an important milestone for Skyroot Aerospace, as it has been made through entirely local resources. This achievement not only marks a significant achievement for Skyroot, but it is also a testament to India’s capability in developing advanced technology for the space industry.
Skyroot Aerospace is a young company, established in 2018 with the aim of becoming a leading provider of end-to-end launch services in India and beyond. The Vikram-1 rocket is a significant step towards achieving this goal. The team hopes to use the MAX-Q Campus to expand their capabilities and develop more reliable and cost-effective rockets for future space missions.
The launch of the Vikram-1 rocket and the inauguration of the MAX-Q Campus are evidence of Skyroot’s commitment to developing space technology to provide better access to space. With its successful launch and the MAX-Q Campus, Skyroot Aerospace is well positioned to become a major player in the space industry.
