India's first privately built Vikram-S rocket launched; Find details

Vikram-S, India's first privately developed rocket, was launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) from its spaceport at Sriharikota, some 115km from Chennai, at 11:30 am today. Titled 'Prarambh' (the beginning), the mission would carry three payloads built by Andhra Pradesh-based N Space Tech India, Chennai-based Space Kids, and Armenia's BazoomQ Space Research Laboratory, Skyroot Aerospace said in a statement.

The rocket launch, developed by four-year-old startup Skyroot Aerospace would mark the private sector's foray into the country's space industry. The Center opened the space sector to private actors in 2020. Vikram-S will rise to an altitude of 81 km after launch and land in less than five minutes. The launch vehicle is named after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space program.

The rocket launch is expected to demonstrate the flight test of the avionics systems in the Vikram series, such as telemetry, global positioning system, an on-board camera, data acquisition and power systems. Skyroot Aerospace has raised a capital of ₹526 crores so far. The company aims to "open spaces for everyone" and works for a future in which "space becomes part of us".

Calling this a "huge milestone", Dr. Pawan K Goenka, Chairman of India's National Center for Space Promotion and Authorization (IN-SPACE) said: "Already 150 private players have applied to be in the space of launch vehicle, satellites, payload and ground stations". The mission would reportedly launch from the propulsion centre where ISRO used sounding rockets. "This is a small rocket, and instead of those big ones, this centre were sounding rockets were used by ISRO will be used tomorrow," an official told PTI.

The Vikram-S launch vehicle is expected to place the payloads into a low inclination orbit of about 500 km. The Vikram launch vehicle's technology architecture offers unique capabilities such as multi-orbit insertion, and interplanetary missions, while providing customized, dedicated and ride-sharing options that cover a broad spectrum of small-satellite customer needs, the company said.