Skyroot Sets Sights on Global Market With Vikram 1 Series Launches

 Hyderabad: Skyroot Aerospace, a start-up from Hyderabad in the space services sector, is preparing for several firsts with the launch of its rocket, Vikram-1, within two months. Speaking with Deccan Chronicle, Co founder of Skyroot,C.Pawan Kumar said Vikram-1 was the first orbital rocket developed by a private company in India, and the first-ever rocket built by a start-up.

Pawan Kumar said Vikram-1 was in its final states of approval, and has the capability to launch multiple satellites. Its hypergolic engine, which can self-ignite when fuel and oxidizer are mixed, obviating the need for an external ignition source, was 3D printed.

The start-up is working with more than 30 countries and collaborates in launching their satellites into orbit. The company has a tie-up with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to test its launch vehicles.

Skyroot Aerospace’s Infinity Campus is a dedicated rocket manufacturing facility. The new 2,00,000 sq. ft centre in Hyderabad is equipped to build a rocket every month. It houses automated filament-winding machines, precision CNC units, and cleanrooms for carbon-composite processing, Pawan Kumar said.

The Infinity Campus will be Skyroot’s main production hub for the Vikram-series launch vehicles. Vikram-1 is India’s first private commercial orbital rocket. Designed and developed in less than four years, Vikram-1 can deploy multiple satellites in a single mission. It features an all–carbon-fibre structure, 3D-printed hypergolic engines, and the Kalam-1200 booster.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the Skyroot Aerospace Infinity Campus on the outskirts of Hyderabad earlier this week, when the company unveiled Vikram-1.

Excerpts from an exclusive interview:

Q. What were your key engineering challenges while manufacturing Vikram-1 in just four years?

A rocket is a system of systems. Hundreds of subsystems must work together perfectly. Even the smallest unexpected issue can delay the programme, and we cannot proceed to launch until every problem is solved.

Testing each system individually, assembling the hardware, integrating all components—these were significant challenges and major learning experiences. Globally, the average development time for an orbital rocket is around ten years.

Q. How did Skyroot complete it in four years?

That is our secret sauce. Only five or six companies in the world launch their rockets regularly, which shows how hard this field is.

India is blessed with exceptional engineering talent — nearly 1.5 million engineers graduate every year, and we hire the best among them. We also have team members and manufacturers with decades of experience from the Isro.

Most importantly, we have access to Isro’s testing facilities through an MoU. Instead of spending time and money building our own test infrastructure, we focused on designing and manufacturing, which saved enormous time and effort.

Q. What is the nature of support from Isro?

We were the first start-up to sign an MoU with Isro for access to their facilities and technical support. We have not taken any technology transfer so far; all core technologies were built by us. But Isro fully supported the testing of our hardware.

Q. When will Vikram-1 be launched?

The independent regulatory body IN-SPACe is conducting final reviews to certify whether the rocket is ready to fly. Once the review is completed and we receive a slot, the launch will take place within two months.

Q. Why a carbon-fibre launch vehicle?

Carbon fibre makes the rocket extremely efficient. It is five times lighter than the strongest steel, enabling higher payload capacity.

3D-printed engines also offer major advantages. Traditional engines have hundreds of components that require complex welding and joining. A 3D-printed engine is built as a single piece, drastically reducing the number of parts and improving reliability.

It takes two years in to produce engines in conventional production takes just within two days 3D printed hypergolic engine was completed.

Q. What changes do you foresee globally, now that Infinity Campus can produce one rocket per month?

By 2035, the global space economy is expected to reach $1.8 trillion, which is equivalent to the GDP of several countries. The biggest enabler of this growth will be launch capacity for deploying satellites. With its production capability, Skyroot is positioned to play a significant role in global satellite launches.

Q. What are your future projects?

We are upgrading Vikram-1 to Vikram-2, a larger rocket capable of launching up to 2,000 kg payloads. We are also developing reusable launch vehicles that can land back and be launched again.

Q. What about your collaboration plan with educational institutions? Are you hiring freshers?

In the future, as rocket launches become more accessible and affordable, we hope every engineering student in India can launch a satellite before they graduate.

By building rockets in larger numbers, we will create an ecosystem where individuals and universities can send payloads on their own. This vision will take years, but we are committed to it. Every year, around 30 per cent of our hires are freshers.

Q. What about fail-safety systems? Are any functions manually controlled?

There are several safety systems depending on mission needs. If a rocket deviates from its intended path, a flight termination system ensures it does not cause harm.

There are multiple layers of redundancy — if one system fails, another takes over. Some systems are automated, while others are manually controlled. It is a mix of both.

Q. Any collaborations with other countries?

Yes. We have extensive collaborations with international customers. We are already working with a French company to launch their satellite constellation.We are in discussions with more than 30 countries to launch their satellites into orbit.