INSPaCE, an autonomous body, a one stop destination for all purpose, problem solving body, for private space companies in India. Established under department of space for permission and regulation activities of the private space sector in India. This entity will assist, promote and help private space players in India. So, Indian space sector is well opened for private players.
In continuation to exploration of space sector in America, which i did in my previous blog, today the focus is on Indian space sector apart from prestigious ISRO.
Indian space sector is emerging fast,though not as fast as SpaceX or blue origin of America. A young, budding private sector, it's not nascent, but yet emerging in its proportion and capacity.
One of the fastest growing aerospace company in India is Skyroot. Hyderabad based, founded in 2018 is all set to launch its first rocket in space in December 2021 with the help of ISRO . The company formed and managed by ex ISRO employees, highly qualified, efficient, with few IIT background engineers and scientist.
Skyroot aerospace is the first indian startup through which successfull tests of the country's first private rocket engine 'Raman' has been completed. The company are in the process of using launching facility of ISRO to launch their own rocket in December, 2021. They haven't yet decided, whether they will also launch a satellite in coordination with ISRO.
Do they realy have the capacity?
Can Skyroot will realy meet the herculean challenge?
Skyroot reportedly had already developed 'Vikram ' series of rockets, where the company used the pioneer skills and brains of former ISRO, DRDO and IIT'ians. The company seems to have in depth leadership and advisory team comprising of pioneers in cryogenic rocket technologies.
So, they are carrying plethora of heritage from ISRO. The company had successfully tested an indigenously designed rocket engine 'Raman' named after Nobel laureate C.V. Raman.
Vikram rocket is of 4 stage, which is supposed to be the first rocket engine made in India by any private company so far.
Vikram would lift 225 Kg to 500 Km Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit and 315 Kg 500 Km to Lower Earth Orbit.
The company aims to focus on small satellites, they aren't in a race to compete SpaceX. They're likely to target small nations like Srilanka, Myanmar, Bhutan, Gulf counties to help them launch their satellites with the developed rockets to Lower Earth Orbit.
In Vikram series, the company claim to launch the rocket within 24 hours of the deal, i.e assemble the rocket and launch from the client base.
Vikram series have special third series that works on Metholox i.e methane CH4 and liquid oxygen as rocket fuel. The rocket won't have seperate tanks to pressurize the tanks instead, fuel will be heated to pressurize the tank.
A fairly new concept, it will also possess multi orbit insertion capacity. Launch of Vikram1 is due in December 2021.
The company might use mobile launcher from a truck, they're thinking, and working on an initial plan to assemble the rocket and launch from anywhere in world as per the client need. Sounds very interesting !
They might use Sriharikota site in coordination with ISRO, that's a buzz in the industry, which only time will tell. This could be a successful example of public private partnership, earlier we had seen such demo in United States where SpaceX and NASA came togeather to successfully send astronauts to space.
If industry sources are to be believed, barring Vikram series, they're planning on bigger rocket on Metholox technology, which can put satellites into Geo Stationary Orbit and can be reusable. That's a mighty news!
The company not trying to grab media or public attentions, being low profile, they're inclined to their core development. Next year we might see a comfortable, reachable PR of Skyroot to reach out to public domain, to showcase their enigmatic skills.
Another private company, Agnikul a chennai based company, got its name derived from gurukul founded by IIT'ians are also in the fray. They've named their rocket 'Agnibaan' . Their rocket engine runs on Kerolox i.e kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel. If everything goes as per plan, they would be launching their rocket 2022.
Do follow these companies on their twitter handle and facebook account. Atleast we must show solidarity to them.
Pixxel, another aerospace company in private sector, has a plan to launch its own rocket in November, 2020. Exciting and Interesting!.
This company has a very unique and special plan. They will collect data from the satellite and use it for the analysis of agriculture field. So, if you happen to have a agriculture field, yo can analyse , diagnose your agro business through space data. A very interesting concept !
The very irony is we might not see Indian space companies launching from India for some time, reason is if you go by ANTRIX the commercial launcher of ISRO then you need to pay 18% GST for launch, which is highly costly, but if you're a foreign company you won't be taxed.
So, Indian space sector is evolving and growing at a considerable pace. We all hope that all these energetic private players will bring glory to our nation.
I wish all the very best to these startups and dedicate this article to my nation.
Thanks for your precious time. Jai Hind.
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