India Enters New Era in Space Technology with First Commercial Orbital Rocket
Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked a historic moment for India's space sector on Thursday by virtually inaugurating Hyderabad-based spacetech startup Skyroot Aerospace's Infinity campus and unveiling Vikram-I, India's first commercial orbital rocket. The revolutionary launch vehicle is designed to deploy satellites into low Earth orbit, positioning India as a serious contender in the global satellite launch market.
Private Sector Powering India's Space Ambitions
During the virtual ceremony, PM Modi emphasized that India is rapidly emerging as a global leader in the satellite launch ecosystem. The private sector is making giant strides in India's space sector, he noted, highlighting Skyroot's Infinity campus as a symbol of innovative thinking and youth power. Our youth's innovation, risk-taking ability and entrepreneurship are touching new heights, the Prime Minister declared.
Modi specifically praised Skyroot CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana and co-founder Naga Bharath Daka, describing them as inspirations for young entrepreneurs across the nation. He emphasized that the growth of private space companies like Skyroot demonstrates the success of government efforts to foster innovation and private enterprise in space domain.
World-Class Infrastructure for Space Manufacturing
The newly inaugurated Infinity facility represents a massive leap in India's space infrastructure capabilities. Spread across 2 lakh square feet in Hyderabad, the campus will enable Skyroot to design, develop, integrate and test multiple launch vehicles simultaneously. Most impressively, the facility will have capacity to manufacture one orbital rocket every month, a production rate that matches global standards.
This new campus complements Skyroot's existing 55,000-square-foot integrated rocket design and development facility called Max-Q located near Hyderabad airport. Together, these facilities create a comprehensive ecosystem for rocket manufacturing and testing.
Reflecting on India's space journey, Modi noted that while the country began with limited resources, its ambitions were never constrained. India has proven that the height of dreams is determined not by resources but by resolve, he stated, adding that India now possesses space capabilities that only a handful of countries worldwide can claim.
Space Reforms Unlocking Entrepreneurial Potential
The Prime Minister also acknowledged ISRO's decades-long contribution to India's space program, stating that the space agency has given new wings to India's space journey. He highlighted the significance of recent space sector reforms that opened the industry to private innovation and led to the creation of a new Space Policy.
These reforms have yielded remarkable results, with more than 300 space startups currently powering India's space aspirations. Most of these ventures began with small teams but are now creating cutting-edge technologies in propulsion systems, composite materials, rocket stages and satellite platforms.
Dr. Pawan Goenka, chairman of space promoter and regulator IN-SPACe, revealed that over 350 space startups have emerged in just five years since the sector was opened to private participation. The Infinity campus and Vikram-1 are testaments to what can be achieved when entrepreneurial ambition meets enabling policy, he stated. We are building more than rockets. We are building a competitive space economy.
Skyroot co-founder Pawan Chandana announced that the company is prepared to launch Vikram-1 within the next two months. Notably, the rocket has been completely designed and built in India. Co-founder Naga Bharath Daka emphasized that decisive space reforms have unlocked the skies for startups to fly, revealing that Skyroot has already generated over 1,000 hi-tech jobs and plans to invest approximately Rs 1,000 crore to achieve rapid and on-demand launch capabilities.
Founded in 2018 by IIT alumni and former ISRO scientists, Skyroot made history by becoming the first Indian company to successfully build and launch a rocket into space using their suborbital rocket Vikram-S. The latest development with Vikram-I represents the next major step in India's private space exploration journey.
