Vikram-S: ISRO launches India's first private rocket

India’s first private rocket: Vikram-S, India's first privately developed rocket successfully lifted off from the Spaceport in Sriharikota on November 18, 2022. The move has marked the foray of the private sector into India's space industry, dominated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for decades. 

The announcement earlier was made by Hyderabad-based space startup Skyroot Aerospace on November 8, 2022. The maiden mission of Skyroot Aerospace, named ‘Prarambh’ (the beginning) carried three customer payloads and launched from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s launchpad at Sriharikota.

Skyroot Aerospace CEO and Co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana had earlier said that a launch window of India’s first private rocket between November 12-16 has been notified by the authorities and the final date will be confirmed based on the weather conditions.

India's first ever private rocket Vikram-S, named after Vikram Sarabhai, launched from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The rocket has been built by "Skyroot Aerospace". pic.twitter.com/DJ9oN0LPfH

— ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2022

Launch of India’s first private rocket: Significance

With this new mission, Skyroot Aerospace became the first private sector company in the country to launch a rocket into space. It will start a new era for the space sector which was opened in 2020 to facilitate private sector participation.

Vikram-S: India’s first private rocket

The Vikram-S Rocket is a single-stage sub-orbital launch vehicle that would carry three customer payloads and help test and validate the majority of the technologies in the Vikram series of space launch vehicles.

The Skyroot Aerospace CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana also said that the company could build and get the Vikram-S rocket mission ready in such as short time only because of the invaluable support from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre).

Why India’s first private rocket has been named Vikram?

Skyroot’s launch vehicles are named ‘Vikram’ as a tribute to the founder of the Indian Space programme and renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai.

Skyroot Aerospace in Hyderabad builds state-of-the-art space launch vehicles for launching commercial satellites to space. It aims to disrupt the entry barriers to cost-efficient satellite launch services and space-flight by advancing its mission of making spaceflights more affordable, reliable, and regular for all.

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