New Delhi, July 18 (IANS). Hyderabad-based space startup Skyroot Aerospace is poised to achieve a significant milestone in India’s private space sector with the launch of its first orbital launch vehicle ‘Vikram-1’ on Saturday.
The launch of this mission named ‘Arrival’ is scheduled at 11:30 am on Saturday from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
With this test flight of Vikram-1, India is expected to enter the global private orbital launch market. Developed entirely by an Indian private company, Vikram-1 is the country’s first privately built orbital launch vehicle. This is being considered an important step towards strengthening India’s commercial space capabilities.
Ahead of the launch, Skyroot Aerospace said that all airspace and maritime permissions required for the mission have been obtained. Restricted air and sea areas have also been notified as per the rocket’s flight path and probable impact area.
Mission ‘Arrival’ will be Skyroot Aerospace’s second space mission after the successful launch of Vikram-S suborbital rocket on November 18, 2022.
Under this mission, a postcard with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handwritten ‘Vande Mataram’ message will also be sent with the Vikram-1 launch vehicle. According to Skyroot Aerospace, this handwritten message from the Prime Minister will be one of the special payloads included in the test flight.
The company said that the mission also includes handwritten messages from Skyroot team members, investors, policy-makers and well-wishers from around the world. Describing it as “a celebration celebrated by many hands and shared by millions”, the company said that these mementos symbolize the collective support and aspirations towards India’s emerging private space ecosystem.
According to the company, these symbolic payloads also reflect the shared vision and collaborative efforts that have contributed to shaping India’s new era in space exploration and innovation.
Skyroot Aerospace believes that the successful launch of Vikram-1 will showcase the technological capabilities of India’s private space companies globally and pave the way for new opportunities in the commercial satellite launch market.
–IANS
SAK/AS
