Vikram-1 rocket successfully places tech payloads, postcards from astronauts, PM Modi into orbit

Vikram-1, India's first privately developed orbital rocket, successfully deployed several technology demonstration payloads into low Earth orbit on Saturday, along with postcards, including one from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Spearheaded by Skyroot Aerospace, the mission, dubbed "Mission Aagaman", marked the entry of the country's private sector into the orbital launch market, news agency PTI reported.

According to the company, the mission was a "grand success."

The launch was witnessed by Skyroot founders Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, both former ISRO scientists, who were present at the agency's Mission Control Center (MCC) along with ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan. Also present were former ISRO chiefs, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, and Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh.

Vikram-1 lifts off on its maiden voyage

On its maiden voyage, the four-stage, seven-storey-tall rocket lifted off at 12:05 pm amid cloudy skies from the first launch pad, leaving behind thick clouds of orange smoke. The lift-off marked a new era for the spaceport. Due to apparent navigation issues, a "planned hold" forced a revised launch time of 12:05 pm.

With Saturday's launch, Skyroot achieved its first successful orbital mission using the Vikram-1 launch vehicle, marking a major step beyond the suborbital flight of Vikram-S in 2022.

After its ascent, the rocket deployed its primary payloads one after another into a 450-km low Earth orbit. The payloads included technology demonstrators from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed, and Skyroot's SCOPE.

Skyroot pays tribute to space programme doyens

A micro-art payload was also deployed, along with an 18-karat gold rocket, a handwritten postcard from Modi carrying the message "Vande Mataram", and postcards submitted by engineers, scientists, and Indian astronauts.

The company said that the micro-art payload, which carried micro-sculptures of doyens of India's space programme, including Vikram Sarabhai, Sir C. V. Raman, and former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, was created "as a tribute to three visionaries who shaped India's scientific and space journey."

The company added, "Skyroot proudly named its rockets and engines after these icons."

PM Modi congratulates Skyroot

In a post on X, PM Modi said he congratulated the company behind the successful launch of the Vikram-1 mission. He noted, "Spoke to the team of Skyroot Aerospace and congratulated them on the successful launch of Vikram-1. This is a defining moment in India’s space journey. The growing participation of our private sector is opening new frontiers and accelerating innovation. This achievement will encourage countless youngsters to dream bigger and innovate fearlessly."

Engineering data to support future missions

Skyroot Aerospace said the engineering data gathered during the test flight will now be studied to verify the rocket's guidance and navigation systems and help improve future commercial satellite missions.

The mission also confirmed the performance of the rocket's all-carbon composite structure and 3D-printed engines under actual flight conditions, technologies that the company says are industry-first innovations.

Payloads showcase diverse technologies

Among the payloads carried aboard Vikram-1 was Embrace, a mission by Cosmoserve Space designed to demonstrate robotic arms that could one day be used to remove space debris in orbit. The rocket also deployed Solaras, a compact satellite developed by Grahaa Space to test new capabilities in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Skyroot Aerospace's in-house experimental satellite, SCOPE, was also part of the mission. According to the company, the payload was developed to evaluate space technologies that could be used in future missions.

The launch further included Cosmic Bloom, described by Cosmos Diamonds as an artistic lab-grown diamond, as well as uD3PP and mD3RN, two technology demonstration payloads developed by Germany-based DCubed, all of which were successfully placed in space.

(with PTI inputs)