"Important milestone in journey of India's private space industry": PM Modi after rocket Vikram-S takes off from Sriharikota
Nov 18, 2022
New Delhi [India], November 18 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the taking off of the rocket Vikram-S, developed by Skyroot Aerospace from the Sriharikota spaceport and said that it is an important milestone in the journey of India's private space industry.
The Prime Minister congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
"A historic moment for India as the rocket Vikram-S, developed by Skyroot Aerospace, took off from Sriharikota today! It is an important milestone in the journey of India's private space industry. Congrats to @isro & @INSPACeIND for enabling this feat," PM Modi tweeted.
Vikram-S, India's first-ever privately developed rocket successfully lifted off from the Sriharikota spaceport on Friday morning. The lift-off of the Vikram Suborbital rocket took place at 11:30 am from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.
The 'Prarambh' mission and the Vikram-S rocket have been developed by Skyroot Aerospace start-up in Hyderabad with support from ISRO and IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre). The rocket is carrying payloads of two Indian and one international customers into space.
"89.5 Kms peak altitude achieved. Vikram-S rocket meets all flight parameters. It's history in the making for India. Keep watching," Skyroot Aerospace tweeted attaching a YouTube link of the flight
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, on Friday, arrived at Sriharikota for the grand launch of 'Vikram S'.
Taking to Twitter, Jitendra Singh shared a picture with the team members of Skyroot Aerospace which he captioned, "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!."
'Vikram-S' is named after Vikram Sarabhai, the founding father of India's Space Program.
The 'Prarambh' mission and the Vikram-S rocket have been developed by Skyroot Aerospace in Hyderabad with support from ISRO and IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre). The rocket is carrying payloads of two Indian and one international customers into space.
With the groundwork starting around late 2020, Vikram-S has been developed within a record time of two years which is powered by solid fuelled propulsion, cutting edge avionics and all carbon fibre core structure, as per Skyroot Aerospace.
The Vikram-S will help test and validate the majority of the technologies in the Vikram series of orbital class space launch vehicles, including many sub-systems and technologies that will be tested across the pre-lift off and post-lift off phases of the launch, according to Skyroot Aerospace.
Vikram S is among one of the first few all-composite space launch vehicles, which is made up of 3D-printed solid thrusters for its spin stability.
As per Skyroot Aerospace, with a body mass of 545 kgs, length of 6m, and diameter of 0.375 meters, Vikram-S is the quickest and most affordable ride to space.