Space launch vehicle ‘Vikram-1’

Space-sector start-up Skyroot Aerospace has successfully conducted the full-duration test-firing of the third stage of the Vikram-1 rocket.

About Skyroot Aerospace:

• Skyroot Aerospace is the national-award winning startup.
• It is building India’s first privately built space launch vehicles.
• The firm, founded by former scientists of the Indian Space Research organization (ISRO), is a 150 plus member strong team actively developing their flagship Vikram series of space launch vehicles, named after ISRO founder Vikram Sarabhai.
• Last year, Skyroot successfully demonstrated the country’s first privately developed cryogenic engine, Dhawan-1.
• The engine, which will be the upper stage in the Vikram-2 rocket, was completely 3D printed using a superalloy, with the process reducing the manufacturing time by 95 per cent.

About Vikram-1:

• The small-lift launch vehicle will be capable of putting 225 kg payloads into sun-synchronous polar orbit.
• The Vikram 1 rocket will use four solid fuel-based stages for the launch.
• The rocket stage is named ‘Kalam-100’ after former President late A P J Abdul Kalam.
• The third stage of Vikram-1 produces a peak vacuum thrust of 100 kN (or ~10Tons) and has a burn time of 108 seconds.
• The rocket stage is built with high-strength Carbon fiber structure, solid fuel, EPDM thermal protection system, and carbon ablative nozzle.
• The rocket stage/engine has no moving parts and a high level of automation in manufacturing.
• The rocket's stage was tested at the facilities of Solar Industries India Ltd, one of the investors in Skyroot.