Historic! ISRO launches India's first ‘private rocket’ today. 10 points
1 min read . Updated: 18 Nov 2022, 11:52 AM IST
Premium- India's 1st private rocket launch: India's first ever private rocket Vikram-S, named after Vikram Sarabhai, launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh
India's space programme has soared into new skies as country's first privately developed rocket-Vikram-S launched on Friday by ISRO.
The lift-off of the first Vikram-S rocket started at 11:30 am from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Andhra Pradesh. The launch vehicle has been named so as a tribute to the father of the Indian Space programme, the late Vikram Sarabhai.
"Mission Prarambh is successfully accomplished," ISRO tweeted after the launch of Vikram-S.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh posted a picture with startup Skyroot Aerospace before the launch of Vikram-S. The minister wrote, With #StartUp Team "Skyroot Aerospace" at #Sriharikota, minutes before the launch of the first-ever private Rocket, Vikram-S, named after Vikram Sarabhai, the founding father of India's Space program. Countdown begins!".
Here's all you need to know about Vikram-S launch:
- Under the mission 'Prarambh' by Skyroot Aerospace, ISRO launched Vikram-S today.
- The 6-metre-tall Vikram-S soared to an altitude of around 81 km after its launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
- Vikram-S rocket carried payloads of two Indian and one foreign customer.
- The payloads included- Chennai-based start-up SpaceKidz, Andhra Pradesh-based N-SpaceTech, and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab.
- Spacekidz, a Chennai-based aerospace startup, flew a 2.5 kg payload developed by students from India, the US, Singapore, and Indonesia on the sub-orbital flight onboard Vikram-S.
- The 545 kg Vikram launch vehicle consists of the Vikram II and Vikram III series.
- The technology architecture of the launch vehicle Vikram offers unique capabilities like multi-orbit insertion, and interplanetary missions, while providing customized, dedicated and ride-share options covering a wide spectrum of small satellite customer needs, according to Skyroot.
- The launch vehicle is equipped with telemetry, tracking, GPS, an on-board camera, data acquisition, and power systems, it added.
- Based in Hyderabad, Skyroot was the first startup to sign a memorandum of understanding with ISRO for launching its rockets.
- Set up in 2018, Skyroot has successfully built and tested India's first privately developed cryogenic, hypergolic-liquid, and solid fuel-based rocket engines using advanced composite and 3D-printing technologies.
