Vikram-S flight successful, ISRO launches India`s first private rocket

TIL Desk/National/Sriharikota/ India on Friday successfully placed three satellites into an orbit on a rocket completely developed by a four-year-old startup, marking the entry of the private sector into space activities, currently dominated by the state-run behemoth Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Skyroot Aerospace-designed Vikram-S, named in a befitting tribute to the father of the country’s space programme Vikram Sarabhai, tasted success in its maiden mission.

Skyroot Aerospace become the first privately held company in India after the space sector was opened for the private players by the Centre in 2020.”I am happy to announce the successful completion of Mission Prarambh, The Beginning, by Skyroot aerospace,” a smiling Pawan Goenka, Chairman of the country’s space regulator, Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe), said from ISRO’s Mission Control Center in Sriharikota.

The rocket achieved an altitude of 89.5 km and a range of 121.2 km, ‘exactly what was planned by Skyroot Aerospace’, he said. The rocket ‘worked as planned’ and Skyroot Aerospace has demonstrated various capability of sub-systems that will go into the orbital launch vehicle, he added.