Tag: private rocket

  • India’s first private rocket launchpad gets ready 

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: While the country is celebrating the successful launch of Vikram-S rocket, India’s first private rocket, another spacetech company from Chennai, Agnikul Cosmos, incubated by IIT-Madras, is quietly building India’s first private launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota for its maiden rocket launch tentatively scheduled for next month. 

    “The launch pad work commenced six months ago and is nearing completion. It’s a miniature launch facility customised to suit our requirements. Unlike Skyroot, we can’t use ISRO’s sounding rocket complex or use PSLV/GSLV launch pads due to their sheer gigantic size for our Agnibaan rocket which will use our patented semi-cryogenic engine. We needed a modular launch pad with an umbilical tower to support the vertical launch that we are planning,” Srinath Ravichandran, CEO and co-founder, Agnikul Cosmos, told TNIE.  

    ISRO chairman S Somanath said the space agency welcomes private players to build infrastructure, including launch pads, at Sriharikota. “It all depends on the demand. If there is a need for more launch pads, private players are free to synergise. The space reforms introduced in 2020 were not only meant for manufacturing rockets, it can also be for ramping up infrastructure.” On why it took considerable time for the launch of Agnibaan, Srinath said, “Ours is a completely different technology.”   

    ‘Full scale flight after successful Agnibaan launch in December’

    “We will be flying a patented semi-cryogenic engine. This will be happening for the first time in the country. Unlike Skyroot’s mission, Agnibaan launch will be a near orbital flight. Though our maiden flight will also be a sub-orbital mission, the vehicle has higher capability. We just wanted to test our actual orbital flight at a smaller scale. Once the December launch is successful, we will be going for a full-scale orbital flight very shortly because almost all the systems that we will be using in an orbital flight will be tested starting from engine tanks, avionics, and flight software etc,” Srinath said.

    Another difference between Vikram-S and Agnibaan is that the latter will be a controlled flight. Agnibaan will also be using a Flight Termination System supplied by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This would be the first time a system used by ISRO for its vehicles will be used for supporting a private launch vehicle built in India.

    Srinath said that the credit for private space entities making rapid strides in the sector goes to the Union government, ISRO and IN-SPACe as they have opened up their facilities and expertise for development of private space launch vehicles.

    Vikram-s soars with three payloads 

    India’s first private rocket, Vikram-S, was successfully launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Friday
    It carried three payloads from Chennai-based start-up SpaceKidz, Andhra Pradesh-based N-SpaceTech, and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab 
    Vikram-S rocket reached its planned altitude of 89.5 km in 155 seconds

    Vikram-S named after  Vikram Sarabhai, father of India’s space programme

    FDI norms likely to be relaxed in two months to support space sector growth. First private launch after sector opened for private players in 2020

    CHENNAI: While the country is celebrating the successful launch of Vikram-S rocket, India’s first private rocket, another spacetech company from Chennai, Agnikul Cosmos, incubated by IIT-Madras, is quietly building India’s first private launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota for its maiden rocket launch tentatively scheduled for next month. 

    “The launch pad work commenced six months ago and is nearing completion. It’s a miniature launch facility customised to suit our requirements. Unlike Skyroot, we can’t use ISRO’s sounding rocket complex or use PSLV/GSLV launch pads due to their sheer gigantic size for our Agnibaan rocket which will use our patented semi-cryogenic engine. We needed a modular launch pad with an umbilical tower to support the vertical launch that we are planning,” Srinath Ravichandran, CEO and co-founder, Agnikul Cosmos, told TNIE.  

    ISRO chairman S Somanath said the space agency welcomes private players to build infrastructure, including launch pads, at Sriharikota. “It all depends on the demand. If there is a need for more launch pads, private players are free to synergise. The space reforms introduced in 2020 were not only meant for manufacturing rockets, it can also be for ramping up infrastructure.” On why it took considerable time for the launch of Agnibaan, Srinath said, “Ours is a completely different technology.”   

    ‘Full scale flight after successful Agnibaan launch in December’

    “We will be flying a patented semi-cryogenic engine. This will be happening for the first time in the country. Unlike Skyroot’s mission, Agnibaan launch will be a near orbital flight. Though our maiden flight will also be a sub-orbital mission, the vehicle has higher capability. We just wanted to test our actual orbital flight at a smaller scale. Once the December launch is successful, we will be going for a full-scale orbital flight very shortly because almost all the systems that we will be using in an orbital flight will be tested starting from engine tanks, avionics, and flight software etc,” Srinath said.

    Another difference between Vikram-S and Agnibaan is that the latter will be a controlled flight. Agnibaan will also be using a Flight Termination System supplied by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This would be the first time a system used by ISRO for its vehicles will be used for supporting a private launch vehicle built in India.

    Srinath said that the credit for private space entities making rapid strides in the sector goes to the Union government, ISRO and IN-SPACe as they have opened up their facilities and expertise for development of private space launch vehicles.

    Vikram-s soars with three payloads 

    India’s first private rocket, Vikram-S, was successfully launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Friday
    It carried three payloads from Chennai-based start-up SpaceKidz, Andhra Pradesh-based N-SpaceTech, and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab 
    Vikram-S rocket reached its planned altitude of 89.5 km in 155 seconds

    Vikram-S named after  Vikram Sarabhai, father of India’s space programme

    FDI norms likely to be relaxed in two months to support space sector growth. First private launch after sector opened for private players in 2020

  • India’s first privately-built rocket Vikram-S all set for launch on Friday

    Express News Service

    BENGALURU: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center (IN-SPACe) has authorised the first private sector launch of a launch vehicle. The launch vehicle, Vikram-S (VKS), developed by aerospace startup Skyroot Aerospace, will see its historic launch on November 18. It will be the first-ever launch of a privately developed and built rocket in India.

    “IN-SPACe has authorised the first private sector launch of a launch vehicle. We’re truly delighted to have authorised Skyroot’s maiden mission, which will enable India’s first-ever private launch of a launch vehicle. I hope the Vikram-S rocket marks the start of a new age in India’s private space domain. The seamless joint efforts of various ISRO centres, including SDSC SHAR, ISTRAC and VSSC, Skyroot team and IN-SPACe, have enabled the Skyroot VKS rocket to be launch-ready in a short period of time,” said Dr Pawan K Goenka, chairman, IN-SPACe.

    The VKS will be carrying three customer payloads on its voyage, as the maiden rocket under Skyroot’s launch mission ‘Prarambh’, which was launched earlier this month. The VKS is a sub-orbital single-stage solid fuelled rocket which has been in development for around 2 years. The rocket has been built using a number advanced technologies, including parts that have been 3D printed.

    It is all set for launch between 11 am and 12 noon on Friday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. As of now, the IN-SPACe authorisation is the fourth such authorisation to be given to any non-governmental entity for taking up space activities in India.

    BENGALURU: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center (IN-SPACe) has authorised the first private sector launch of a launch vehicle. The launch vehicle, Vikram-S (VKS), developed by aerospace startup Skyroot Aerospace, will see its historic launch on November 18. It will be the first-ever launch of a privately developed and built rocket in India.

    “IN-SPACe has authorised the first private sector launch of a launch vehicle. We’re truly delighted to have authorised Skyroot’s maiden mission, which will enable India’s first-ever private launch of a launch vehicle. I hope the Vikram-S rocket marks the start of a new age in India’s private space domain. The seamless joint efforts of various ISRO centres, including SDSC SHAR, ISTRAC and VSSC, Skyroot team and IN-SPACe, have enabled the Skyroot VKS rocket to be launch-ready in a short period of time,” said Dr Pawan K Goenka, chairman, IN-SPACe.

    The VKS will be carrying three customer payloads on its voyage, as the maiden rocket under Skyroot’s launch mission ‘Prarambh’, which was launched earlier this month. The VKS is a sub-orbital single-stage solid fuelled rocket which has been in development for around 2 years. The rocket has been built using a number advanced technologies, including parts that have been 3D printed.

    It is all set for launch between 11 am and 12 noon on Friday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. As of now, the IN-SPACe authorisation is the fourth such authorisation to be given to any non-governmental entity for taking up space activities in India.