Dreams on the launch pad: Skyroot’s engineers race towards history
HYDERABAD: Engineers at Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace are working nearly 20-hour days as the company enters the final phase of preparations for the launch of Vikram-I, India’s first privately designed and developed orbital launch vehicle. The mission is scheduled for launch between July 12 and August 4 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Final checks under way before launch window
With the rocket fully integrated on the launch pad, engineers are carrying out final health checks of all subsystems and sequentially verifying every connection before lift-off.
“We start at 6 am on some days and on others at 8 am. After our meetings, we move to the facility. This has been our schedule for the last two weeks, and it often continues until 3 am or 4 am the next day,” said Shreesha M., a flight dynamics engineer who joined Skyroot as a fresher five years ago.
Skyroot co-founder and chief executive officer Pawan Kumar Chandana said around 100 engineers, apart from technicians, are working in shifts round the clock at the Sriharikota launch site. About 30 of them are women engineers.
“Several hundred more are supporting the mission from our Hyderabad office. Many of us are working 16 hours or more,” Chandana said.
Historic milestone for India’s private space sector
Calling the mission a landmark for the country’s space industry, Chandana said the company was excited but remained focused on ensuring every system performs as expected.
“The excitement is high as finally India’s first privately developed rocket is on the launch pad, undergoing final checks before lift-off. It is historic for India, the space sector and also the global space industry, as there are hardly any companies providing regular access to space,” he said.
“For Skyroot to be able to do this is a matter of pride. However, the next few days are important as rockets are complex and every detail has to be taken care of to ensure a successful lift-off and flight. It is a learning test flight for us.”
Company eyes higher launch frequency
Chandana said India’s space start-up ecosystem had expanded rapidly, with nearly 400 start-ups emerging over the past three to four years.
“India’s ambition is to become a $44-billion player in the global space market by 2032. We are among the leading start-ups in India and are building major milestones. It is exciting to see how it shapes us and how, as an ecosystem, we can shape the global market in return,” he said.
Speaking about the company’s plans, Chandana said Skyroot intends to increase the frequency of launches.
“We built a factory inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it has the capacity to build a rocket every year.”
Comparing Vikram-I with the company’s earlier mission, he said the upcoming launch was significantly more complex.
“This mission is 10 times more complex than the first. We have gone through the countdown process before, so we are prepared, focused, excited and also nervous because rockets are inherently complex,” Chandana said.
He credited Hyderabad’s aerospace ecosystem for Skyroot‘s growth.
“The success of Skyroot is because we are based in Hyderabad. We have access to a great ecosystem of talent, manufacturers and testing facilities. We fondly call it Rocket City. There are government testing labs where we can frequently test our systems.”
