TSIT ■ Chennai
The Hyderabad-based Space Startup Skyroot Aerospace, which became the first private player in India to successfully launch its own rocket, on Friday dedicated the historic success to the space reforms ushered in by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a tweet, Skyroot said “Skyroot dedicates today’s historic success of India’s first private rocket launch to the space reforms brought in by the vision of Hon’ Prime Minister @narendramodi ji. “ “We thank @isro and @INSPACeIND for their invaluable support towards this landmark milestone”, it said.
“We made history today by launching India’s first private rocket. It is a symbol of new India, and just the Prarambh (beginning) of a great future.”
Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-Founder Skyroot Aerospace said. The rocket achieved 89.5 kms peak altitude. Vikram-S rocket met all the flight parameters. It’s history, he said. Ecstatic with the maiden launch, Skyroot Aerospace Founders Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka in a joint statement said “We are very excited to share that we scripted history today by successfully launching India’s first privately developed rocket Vikram-S.” “This mission has been executed in record time only because of the invaluable support we received from IN-SPACe and ISRO, and the technology talent that we inherently possess”, they said. “Our pathbreaking mission, ‘Prarambh’ is dedicated to the Indian Private sector, which has hugely benefitted from the reforms thatwere guided by the Govt of India and its vision’’”, they added.
The Vikram-S rocket flight is a technology demonstration flight to showcase the capabilities of the company. The rocket will help validate the technologies that will be used in the subsequent Vikram-1 orbital vehicle of Skyroot that is planned for launch next year, subject to technical clearance by IN-SPACe.The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center (IN-SPACe) has been operating as a single-window.
, autonomous nodal agency of Department of Space (DOS) to boost private space sector economy in India.
It has given five authorizations to the Space NGEs for undertaking space activities in India, in six months and signed Sixteen MoUs. Till date, IN-SPACe has received more than 150 applications from Space NGEs for Authorization, Facilitation, and Promotion. In their continued efforts to give India’s space sector a new and dynamic dimension, IN-SPACe’s enabling of Skyroot’s launch vehicle initiates a new chapter in India’s space domain.
IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan K Goenka said “India holds tremendous potential in space and has been an enabler of epoch-making space missions for decades.”
This maiden rocket launch for Skyroot Aerospace is perhaps the most important milestone for the Indian private space sector since the space reforms announced by the Union Government and hints at the rapid transformative journey we’re witnessing in India’s space sector, he said.
“Though one small step, it is a giant leap to demonstrate the capabilities of the Indian Space sector”, he added. “Heartiest congratulations to all involved in the success of ‘Prarambh’ mission. A new space journey has begun”, he said. The lift off of VIKRAM-S from Sriharikota happened at 11.30 IST today. The ranging and tracking operations for VIKRAM-S were handled by SDSC SHAR facility at ISRO. Telemetry data was captured by ISTRAC station of ISRO and relayed to the control room. The launch of the Skyroot VKS rocket has been possible with the seamless joint efforts of various ISRO centres including SDSC SHAR, ISTRAC and VSSC, Skyroot team and IN-SPACe.
The Technical Mission Readiness review committee members from ISRO and IN-SPACe rigorously reviewed launch vehicle and integration preparation and gave the final launch clearance.
