Stage-2 test a success, Skyroot closer to India’s first private orbital rocket launch

Vikram-1 is a three-stage, solid-fuel based rocket. Testing of the “second stage” is significant because this stage propels satellites from the dense atmosphere of Earth to the deep vacuum of outer space.

The testing of the second stage is a significant milestone for the company as well as India’s private space sector. (Photo: X@SkyrootA)

Space-tech company Skyroot Aerospace has successfully test-fired the second stage of its rocket Vikram-1, the company said Thursday, a major landmark that pushes it closer to India’s first private orbital rocket launch in mid-2024.

Vikram-1 is a three-stage, solid-fuel based rocket. Testing of the “second stage” is significant because this stage propels satellites from the dense atmosphere of Earth to the deep vacuum of outer space.

“This is a significant milestone for the Indian space industry, marking the successful test of the largest propulsion system ever designed and manufactured by the Indian private sector so far, and the first carbon-composite-built motor tested at ISRO,” said Pawan Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace.

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“All test parameters are within expected bounds, and this achievement takes us another step closer to the upcoming orbital launch of the Vikram-1 rocket,” he added.

Chandana had earlier told The Indian Express that Skyroot is planning to launch Vikram 1 “in the middle of this year” and has already signed up customers for the first orbital launch.

The test was conducted Wednesday at the propulsion testbed of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) at its Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, Skyroot said.

It lasted 85 seconds and recorded a peak thrust at sea-level of 186 kilonewtons (kN), which will translate to about 235kN during flight in vacuum, the company said.

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Skyroot had in 2022 carried out a sub-orbital launch — taking payloads just to the edge of outer space — with its single-stage rocket Vikram-S.

Earlier this week, the sub-orbital launch by another private space company, Agnikul, was postponed after a rehearsal.

Apart from the “second-stage” testing of Vikram-1, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre shared its proprietary head-mounted safe arm (HMSA), an electromechanical device that enables or disables triggering of the explosive systems in a rocket to operate it safely.

This comes days after the first sub-orbital launch by the second private launch provider Agnikul was postponed after a rehearsal.

Anonna Dutt

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More

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