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India’s first privately built rocket ‘Vikram-S’ launched

Agencies
18 Nov 2022 14:43:58 | Update: 18 Nov 2022 16:16:38
India’s first privately built rocket ‘Vikram-S’ launched
— Courtesy Photo/ISRO

India's first privately developed rocket “Vikram-S” lifted off successfully from the spaceport in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on Friday.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the rocket around 11.30am. The mission was named "Prarambh" to represent a new beginning, NDTV reports.

"Mission Prarambh is successfully accomplished. Congratulations" ISRO announced on Twitter.

Vikram-S soared to an altitude of 89.5km after its launch and met all the parameters.

The Prarambh mission and the Vikram-S rocket have been developed by Skyroot Aerospace, a start-up based in Hyderabad, with support from ISRO and Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN–SPACe), reports NDTV.

Vikram-S was built by over 200 engineers in a record-breaking two years and is propelled by solid fuels, state-of-the-art avionics, and a carbon fibre core structure.

According to Skyroot Aerospace, the six-metre tall rocket is one of the world's first few all-composite rockets that have 3D-printed solid thrusters for its spin stability with a body mass of 545kgs, length of 6 metres, and diameter of 0.375 meters.

The rocket carried three payloads built by Andhra Pradesh-based N Space Tech India, Chennai-based startup Space Kids and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab.

"We made history today by launching India's first private rocket. It is a symbol of new India, and indeed a ‘Prarambh’ of a great future." Skyroot Aerospace Co-Founder Pawan Kumar Chandana said.

India’s Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who witness the historic launch, said that the rocket launch was a turning point for Indian startups.

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