Skyroot Aerospace

Skyroot Aerospace is an Indian company manufacturing space launch vehicles for cost-effective space access. Skyroot aims to make spaceflight affordable and reliable with services for on-demand launches. The company is developing a series of modular space launch vehicles for the small satellite market vehicles called Vikram, named after Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, founder of the Indian Space Program. Vikram launch vehicles aim to be mass-producible and affordable, covering a range of small satellite needs (dedicated, ride share, etc.) while offering capabilities that include multi-orbit insertion and interplanetary missions.

Headquartered in Hyderabad, India, Skyroot was established on June 12, 2018, by Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, two former ISRO scientists. Skyroot has grown to over 300 employees. The company has raised $95.5 million in funding, including a $27.5 million pre-series C round in October 2023. Skyroot's investors include GIC, Meraki Labs, the founders of Greenko Group, Solar Industries India, Sherpalo, Worldquant Ventures, AUM Ventures, Graph Ventures, and Temasek.

Skyroot has achieved a number of firsts for the private Indian space industry:

• Successfully test-firing a full-scale liquid propulsion engine
• Building a 3D-printed cryogenic engine in two days
• Successfully test-firing a solid rocket stage
• Signing a memorandum of understanding with ISRO for facilities and expertise
• Successfully test fire a 3D printed fully cryogenic engine
• Skyroot's Vikram-S rocket became India's first private space launch on 18 November 2022

Skyroot aims to launch its first orbital vehicle, the Vikram-1, in 2024.

The company is developing three different launch vehicles: Vikram I, Vikram II, and Vikram III. Vikram I can deliver payloads of 225kg to 500km SSPO. Vikram II can deliver 410kg payloads to 500km SSPO and 520kg payloads at a 45-degree inclination to 500km LEO. Vikram III can deliver 580kg payloads to 500km SSPO and 720kg payloads at a 45-degree inclination to 500km LEO.