Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian startup, launched the country’s first privately developed rocket, Vikram-S, into space on Friday, with assistance from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
The country’s space industry has previously been dominated by the state-run ISRO, but Skyroot Aerospace has opened the sector to private companies.
“The rocket launch will help test and validate the majority of the technologies in the Vikram series of orbital class space launch vehicles, including many sub-systems and technologies that will be tested across the pre-lift off and post-lift off phases of the launch,” according to Skyroot Aerospace.
The rocket, which weighed 546 kilograms (1203 pounds), took off from the Sriharikota spaceport and flew to an altitude of 89.5 kilometers (55.6 miles).
This mission represents not only India’s first private rocket launch, but also “the potential of new India,” according to Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder of Skyroot Aerospace.
Skyroot Aerospace was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Hyderabad, India’s southern tech hub. According to data firm Tracxn, it was founded by former ISRO engineers and has raised $68 million in funding.
It was the first startup to sign an agreement with ISRO last year to use the Indian space agency’s expertise and access facilities.
The private space race is heating up all over the world. Billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson both took supersonic joy rides to the edge of space last year.
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