Explained: Vikram-I, the country’s first private rocket unveiled by PM Modi

In the global space race, India just received a boost up, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Indian space startup Skyroot’s Infinity Campus in Hyderabad as well as unveiled Vikram-I, the country’s first private orbital rocket.

Speaking at the event, PM Modi said that today’s space ecosystem, private sector was emerging with flying colours. “India’s private space talent is making its own identity in the world. Today, India’s space sector is becoming an attractive destination for global investors. Today, the demand for small satellites is increasing rapidly in the world.”

He further noted that India’s youth always place national interest above all. Modi said when the government opened the space sector, the country’s youth, especially the Gen-Z generation, came forward to take full advantage of it.

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“Today, over 300 Indian space start-ups are giving new hopes to India’s space future. Most of these space start-ups began with small teams — sometimes two people, sometimes five, sometimes in a small rented room — with limited resources but with determination to reach new heights. I had the opportunity to meet them,” he said, adding this spirit gave birth to the private space revolution in India.

But what exactly is the Vikram-1? Why is this moment significant for India’s space ambitions?

1. A multi-stage launch vehicle, the Vikram-I built by Skyroot is named after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India’s space programme.

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2. The Vikram-I boasts of a capacity to place payloads of around 300 kilogrammes in low earth orbit.

3. This space rocket is made out of carbon fibre and can place multiple satellites into orbit and features 3D-printed liquid engines.

4. The rocket, according to Skyroot, is as tall as a seven-storey building.

5. The company behind Vikram-I, Skyroot, has claimed that the rocket can be assembled and launched within 24 hours from any launch site, offering customers rapid access to space.

6. Skyroot noted that Vikram-1 is among the ‘elite few’ rockets with the capability to deploy orbital satellites.

7. Vikram-I will be launched later this year, said Skyroot. Officials from the company were quoted as telling India Today earlier, “The company at the moment is in various stages of testing the different stages of the rocket at multiple facilities spread across India before they will be integrated for launch at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.”

8. In fact, Skyroot had in November 2022, launched India’s first privately made rocket, Vikram-S on a suborbital flight, carrying three different playloads from Chennai-based start-up SpaceKidz, Andhra Pradesh-based N-SpaceTech and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab.

9. For the unaware, Skyroot is a Hyderabad-based space start-up with big dreams. It was established in 2018 by co-founders, Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka.

10. Both of them have worked in Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) before; Chandana worked on the GSLV Mk-III, the largest rocket made in India, for five years, whereas Daka worked as a Flight Computer Engineer at VSSC and has built hardware and firmware for multiple key onboard computer modules that implement the sequencing, navigation, control, and guidance functions of the launch vehicle.

With inputs from agencies