Hyderabad-based space startup Skyroot Aerospace announced today that its Vikram-S rocket will launch on November 15 with three payloads.
‘Prarambh’ (the beginning) will be Skyroot Aerospace’s maiden mission and will carry payloads of two Indian and one foreign customer from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s launchpad at Sriharikota.
Skyspace Aerospace says the launch date is set for 15 Nov 2022. “Heartbeats quicken. Eyes are fixed to the sky. The earth is listening. Everything points to 15 Nov 2022,” it said.
Pawan Kumar Chandana, CEO and co-founder of Skyroot Aerospace, told PTI the launch is set for 11:30 am.
A 2.5 kg payload developed by students from India, the US, Singapore and Indonesia will be flown on board Vikram-S by Spacekidz, a Chennai-based aerospace startup.
As the first private space company in India to launch a rocket into space, Skyroot is heralding a new era for the space sector, which was opened up to private participation in 2020.
Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of the Indian space programme and renowned scientist, inspired Skyroot’s launch vehicles.
A Hyderabad-based startup, Skyroot, was the first to sign a memorandum of understanding with ISRO for rocket launches.
By advancing its mission to make spaceflight affordable, reliable and regular for everyone, it aims to disrupt entry barriers to satellite launch services and spaceflight.
With advanced composite and 3D-printing technology, Skyroot has built and tested India’s first privately developed cryogenic, hypergolic-liquid, and solid fuel rocket engines.
In September of this year, Skyroot Aerospace raised $51 million through a Series-B financing round. In July last year, it raised $11 million in a Series-A capital raise.
