• On November 15, India will launch its first privately built rocket

    Sci & Tech
    On November 15, India will launch its first privately built rocket




    Digital Desk: India's first privately developed rocket, the
    "Vikram-S," is scheduled to launch on November 15 on a sub-orbital
    mission with three payloads, according to an announcement made on Tuesday by
    Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace.



    Skyroot Aerospace will launch its first mission, dubbed
    "Prarambh" (the beginning), from the Sriharikota launchpad of the
    Indian Space Research Organization with the payloads of two Indian and one
    foreign client.



    "Heartbeats accelerate. Everyone is looking up towards the
    sky. The planet is attentive. All signs lead to a launch on November 15, 2022
    "According to Skyspace Aerospace on Friday.



     



    According to CEO and co-founder of Skyroot Aerospace Pawan Kumar
    Chandana, the launch is set for 11:30 a.m.



    On the suborbital mission on board Vikram-S, Spacekidz, an
    aerospace startup located in Chennai, will launch "Fun-Sat," a 2.5 kg
    payload created by kids from India, the US, Singapore, and Indonesia.



    With this mission, Skyroot will launch a rocket into orbit for
    the first time as a private space business in India, ushering in a new era for
    the space industry, which was opened up in 2020 to allow for private sector
    participation.



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



    Based in Hyderabad, Skyroot was the first startup to sign a
    memorandum of understanding with ISRO for launching its rockets.



    It aims to disrupt entry barriers to cost-efficient satellite
    launch services and space-flight by advancing its mission to make spaceflights
    affordable, reliable and regular for all, the statement said.



    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.



    Skyroot Aerospace successfully raised USD 51 million through a
    Series-B financing round, in September this year. It had raised USD 11 million
    in Series-A capital raise in July last year.