• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Skyroot Aerospace founded by ex-ISRO scientists, revolutionizing space.
  2. Launched India's first private rocket, Vikram-S, in 2022.
  3. Startup valued at $1.1 billion, attracting global investors.

For several decades, space exploration in India was mainly led by the government agency ISRO. Commercial satellite launches were often out of reach for many due to long waiting periods and high costs. However, a quiet revolution is now taking place in India’s space sector, led by two former ISRO scientists who decided to leave the government organisation with the aim of making space more accessible.

Skyroot Aerospace

In 2018, Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka founded Skyroot Aerospace in Hyderabad. Their goal was simple but ambitious. They strived to make satellite launches as easy and affordable as booking a commercial flight. Today, Chandana serves as the company’s CEO, while Daka is the COO. Together, they lead a team of more than 1,000 experts and are working to bridge the gap between India’s traditional space capabilities and the speed of private space startups.

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Vikram-S Rocket Creates History With Successful Launch

Skyroot Aerospace made history in 2022 with Mission Prarambh, when it successfully launched Vikram-S, India’s first privately developed rocket. The achievement demonstrated that private companies in India could design, build and launch reliable aerospace hardware. Before this milestone, Skyroot had already gained attention by successfully testing India’s first privately developed rocket engine, Raman-1, in 2020, followed by the cryogenic engine Dhawan-1 in 2021.

Skyroot Reaches USD 1.1 Billion Valuation

The company has continued its technological progress and recently completed the required tests for its main orbital vehicle, Vikram-1. Its technological achievements have attracted major global investors. According to Jagran.com report, Skyroot Aerospace raised USD 160 million from international investors, including GIC and Temasek, taking the startup’s valuation to USD 1.1 billion.

India’s Growing Private Space Sector

As India continues to open its space sector to private companies, Chandana and Daka are showing that the country has the potential to become a major global hub for low-cost satellite launches. Their efforts highlight how private space companies could reshape India’s role in the global space industry.

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