And, blast-off: Skyroot launches India's first pvt sector rocket Vikram-S

'Great milestone' for Indian space sector as rocket completes parameters for successful launch

India successfully launched its first privately developed rocket, the Vikram-S, on Friday, marking “a new era” for the country’s commercial space industry. The 545-kilogram rocket, developed by space start-up Skyroot Aerospace, took off from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) launch site in Sriharikota, near Chennai, at around 11.30 am and hit a peak altitude of 89.5 kilometres.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the successful foray of a private player into the country’s space sector. “A historic moment for India…It is an important milestone in the journey of India’s private space industry,” he tweeted.

India opened the space sector for