The Indian private space tech company Skyroot Aerospace is nearing a major milestone for the country by planning to send its first private commercial rocket into space over the next few months. Skyroot was founded by two former engineers from India’s Space Research Organization (ISRO), Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, in Hyderabad, India, in 2018. Skyroot Aerospace claims it will be able to conduct multiple orbital launches as early as 2026. An orbital launch is anticipated within the next three months.
In November of 2022, Skyroot Aerospace launched a rocket into space, becoming the first private Indian company to do so. That launch demonstrated the Indian private sector’s growing capability to provide satellite launch services. It also demonstrated the success of the Vikram-S as a test vehicle for Skyroot’s future orbital launches (Vikram-1). Skyroot’s second rocket, Vikram-1, is being developed to enable the simultaneous launch of multiple small satellites.
Skyroot Aerospace has secured more than $95 million in funding, making it India’s most well-funded space startup. Funding came from investors, including GIC, a Singapore-based investor, the founding members of Greenko Group (Anil Chalamalasetty and Mahesh Kolli), and many institutional investors. These investments will be directed toward establishing scalable launch infrastructure, strengthening research and development and increasing production capabilities for their series of rockets known as the Vikram.
Skyroot’s upcoming mission will mark the beginning of an era of commercial spaceflight for India. A series of reforms by the Indian Government has enabled companies such as Skyroot, Agnikul Cosmos, and Pixxel to work with both ISRO and IN-SPACe to create, test and deploy indigenous space technology. These partnerships are turning India into a competitive player in the global space economy, which has seen rapid growth in demand for the deployment of small satellites over the last few years.
Skyroot’s leadership stated that it would be in its best interest to focus on serving Indian clients while attracting international commercial satellite operators. This would create an opportunity for India to become a low-cost satellite launch hub by offering affordable pricing and leveraging ISRO’s testing and launch infrastructure.
The upcoming Vikram-1 rocket launch will validate Skyroot’s ability to deliver commercial payloads safely and efficiently. Upon successful completion of this launch, Skyroot is positioned to land large-scale international contracts that will solidify India’s position as a leader in innovative space technologies. In addition to developing reusable rockets, Skyroot plans to develop orbital transfer systems, which will continue the trend of sustainable, cost-efficient space exploration seen globally.
Skyroot Aerospace has made significant progress in recent years as it competes with major global players such as SpaceX and Rocket Lab. The company operates in an emerging, highly competitive market that exceeds $600 billion. The rapid growth of the global space market and Skyroot’s success suggest that India can increase its market share by advancing innovation, affordability, and reliability.
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