On May 19, Hyderabad-based space tech startup Skyroot Aerospace announced the successful completion of a full-scale test launch of its Vikram-1 rocket engine, the country’s first privately designed and developed rocket.

The Vikram-1 has three solid fuel power stages. The burn time for each stage is between 80 and 108 seconds. The third stage or engine “Kalam-100” of the Vikram-1 produces a peak vacuum thrust of 100 kN (or about 10 tons) with a burn time of 108 seconds. The startup said it was named after former president and rocket scientist APJ Abdul Kalam.

Skyroot co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana said: “This stage has performed well and this success provides great confidence for other rocket stages we plan to test soon.” Staging refers to combining different rocket parts (stages), launching them one after the other, and then separating them to reach space​​​​.

The rocket stage is constructed of high-strength carbon fibre, solid fuel, an EPDM thermal protection system and carbon ablation nozzles, the statement said, adding that the stage has no moving parts and is built using automation.

Rocket scientist Eswaran VG said: “State-of-the-art technologies such as carbon composite shells, high propellant capacity loadings of up to 94%, lighter EPDM-based thermal protection systems and submerged nozzles have been proven through successful static tests, “Vice Tiangen Development President.

Earlier, in January, Skyroot Aerospace announced that it had raised $4.5 million in a Series B round led by early Google investor Ram Shriram through his venture capital firm Sherpalo Ventures. The company raised an $11 million Series A in 2021 led by Greenko founders, while a $1.5 million seed round was funded by Myntra and CureFit founder Mukesh Bansal.