First Indian Private Rocket Vikram-S Lifts From ISRO

India’s maiden private rocket, Vikram-S carrying three satellites lifted off from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) spaceport, in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on the 18th of November, Friday.

The 6-metre tall launch vehicle Vikram-S, is named after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the country’s space programme. He was an Indian physicist and astronomer who initiated space research and helped develop nuclear power in India.

Named after Mr. Vikram Sarabhai, the private rocket Vikram-S took off at 11:30 A.M., in Sriharikota.

Developed by a private organisation, Skyroot Aerospace, the rocket Vikram-S is lifted with three satellites riding piggyback on the rocket. The three satellites installed in the rocket are from Chennai based start up company, SpaceKidz, Andhra Pradesh based N-SpaceTech and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab, respectively.

This mission titled Prarambh (The beginning) is expected to demonstrate flight proving of avionics systems in the Vikram series like telemetry, tracking, inertial measurement, Global Positioning System, on board camera, data acquisition and power systems.

After the Government of India threw the space segment open to private companies in 2020, this Vikram-S rocket launch is the first rocket which took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

The launch happened after IN-SPACe, India’s Space Regulator Body approved the launch and authorised the company Skyroot Aerospace for the launch.