Historic! ISRO launches India's first ‘private rocket’ today. 10 points

Launched: Vikram-S makes history as the first private rocket of India to grace the skies. (Skyroot Aerospace)

The lift-off of the first Vikram-S rocket started at 11:30 am from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Andhra Pradesh. The launch vehicle has been named so as a tribute to the father of the Indian Space programme, the late Vikram Sarabhai.

WATCH | Launch of Vikram-S Prarambh Skyroot Mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota pic.twitter.com/VqvzYKZzHk

— Prasar Bharati News Services & Digital Platform (@PBNS_India) November 18, 2022

"Mission Prarambh is successfully accomplished," ISRO tweeted after the launch of Vikram-S.

Mission Prarambh is successfully accomplished.

Congratulations @SkyrootA
Congratulations India! @INSPACeIND pic.twitter.com/PhRF9n5Mh4

— ISRO (@isro) November 18, 2022

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh posted a picture with startup Skyroot Aerospace before the launch of Vikram-S. The minister wrote, With #StartUp Team "Skyroot Aerospace" at #Sriharikota, minutes before the launch of the first-ever private Rocket, Vikram-S, named after Vikram Sarabhai, the founding father of India's Space program. Countdown begins!".

With #StartUp Team "Skyroot Aerospace" at #Sriharikota, minutes before the launch of the first ever private Rocket, Vikram-S, named after Vikram Sarabhai, the founding father of India's Space program.
Countdown begins! pic.twitter.com/QUZpYSdsjS

— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) November 18, 2022

Here's all you need to know about Vikram-S launch:

• Under the mission 'Prarambh' by Skyroot Aerospace, ISRO launched Vikram-S today.
• The 6-metre-tall Vikram-S soared to an altitude of around 81 km after its launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
• Vikram-S rocket carried payloads of two Indian and one foreign customer.

Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-S rocket details

• The payloads included- Chennai-based start-up SpaceKidz, Andhra Pradesh-based N-SpaceTech, and Armenian BazoomQ Space Research Lab.
• Spacekidz, a Chennai-based aerospace startup, flew a 2.5 kg payload developed by students from India, the US, Singapore, and Indonesia on the sub-orbital flight onboard Vikram-S.
• The 545 kg Vikram launch vehicle consists of the Vikram II and Vikram III series.
• The technology architecture of the launch vehicle Vikram offers unique capabilities like multi-orbit insertion, and interplanetary missions, while providing customized, dedicated and ride-share options covering a wide spectrum of small satellite customer needs, according to Skyroot.
• The launch vehicle is equipped with telemetry, tracking, GPS, an on-board camera, data acquisition, and power systems, it added.
• Based in Hyderabad, Skyroot was the first startup to sign a memorandum of understanding with ISRO for launching its rockets.
• Set up in 2018, Skyroot has successfully built and tested India's first privately developed cryogenic, hypergolic-liquid, and solid fuel-based rocket engines using advanced composite and 3D-printing technologies.

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