Skyroot’s Launch of India’s First Privately Developed Vikram-S Missile Delayed

The Vikram-S will be powered by the Kalam 80 propulsion system that will ignite the three-stage rocket to space.

Skyroot has developed three variants of the Vikram missile.

By India Today Web Desk: Skyroot Aerospace, a space technology start-up, has postponed the launch of its first mission from Nov. 15. Vikram-S, India’s first privately developed missile, will now launch with three payloads on a technology demonstration flight between November 15 and 19. The company has not yet announced a final date.

Skyroot had previously announced that the Prarambh mission with the Vikram-S rocket and three payloads will be launched on Tuesday. The mission will be launched from India Space Research Organization (ISRO) Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota to space to validate the homemade rocket, system and designs for future missions.

“India’s first private rocket, the Vikram-S, is preparing to launch from Sriharikota with a revised window between November 15 and 19, 2022,” Skyroot said in a tweet. The company gave no specific reason for the decision to push the mission further away.

The Vikram-S rocket will be powered by the Kalam 80 propulsion system that will ignite the three-stage rocket to a height of 120 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. The mission will carry three payloads that will be deployed during suborbital flight to demonstrate the rocket’s ability to carry heavy payloads into space in the future.

Also read | When the Earth suddenly lost oxygen and the first mass extinction occurred

The mission aims to lay the groundwork for the launch of the Vikram-I customer payload launch vehicle in 2023, and the company has said they already have customers lining up for the mission in Q2-Q3 from 2023.

Skyroot has developed three variants of the Vikram missile. While the Vikram-I can carry 480 kilograms of payload to Low Earth Orbit, the Vikram-II is equipped to take off with 595 kilograms of cargo. Meanwhile, Vikram-III can launch with low ramp from 815 kg to 500 km.

India recently opened its aerospace sector to private companies and Isro has provided its facilities and expertise for testing and development of engines and missile systems, among other things. Isro chief S Somnath has said the country needs new players in the space sector to create economically viable programs.

Also read | NASA’s Artemis-1 launches to the moon on Wednesday

Also read | James Webb Telescope back in action after super-cold camera malfunction is fixed