India’s First Privately Built Rocket Takes Off

Which company built this rocket?

On 18th November 2022, a six-minute flight by a test rocket carrying three fake payloads made history in India. It was the first private space mission in the country. This rocket was built by Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian company. The rocket was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

The Vikram-S rocket travelled 89.5 kilometres from Earth before it fell into the Bay of Bengal. It was a suborbital mission, meaning that the rocket reached space but did not fly around the planet Earth.

What do we know about the rocket?

Skyroot Aerospace worked on the Vikram-S rocket for over two years. Vikram-S weighs 545 kilograms, has a length of 6 metres, and has a diameter of 0.375 metres. This rocket was launched to test most of the technology before the launch of Vikram-1 next year.

Skyroot's Vikram rocket series is named after Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of India's space programme. The Vikram-S rocket's 'Kalam-80' engine was named after former President APJ Abdul Kalam. The performance of the engine was checked during the flight.

What is the significance of this mission?

The rocket launch allowed Skyroot Aerospace to test most of the technologies required for future launches. It also made way for Indian private companies to enter the space launch market for the first time. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) can guide private companies in this field.

The successful launch of the Vikram-S rocket will encourage companies to invest in India’s space programme. This will help in developing new technologies that can help the country grow.

What did we learn from this article?

This article informed us about India's space programme. It shows the importance of private companies working and investing in this field. It also highlights the importance of science and technology in a country's growth and development.

Have you ever thought of growing up and working for ISRO to develop rockets? Please let us know in the comments section.