In a significant development, Skyroot, an Indian space start-up, has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting the test-firing of the stage-2 propulsion system of the Vikram-1 rocket.
Named Kalam-250, this advanced carbon composite motor is designed to propel the rocket from the atmospheric phase into the deep vacuum of outer space. The test, which took place at the propulsion test bed located at the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, lasted for 85 seconds.
During the test, Kalam-250 demonstrated remarkable performance, recording a peak sea-level thrust of 186 kilonewtons (kN). This translates into a fully-expanded vacuum thrust of approximately 235 kN during flight, showcasing the motor’s robust capabilities.
Pawan Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace, expressed pride in this achievement, highlighting its significance for the Indian space industry. He emphasized that the successful test represents the largest propulsion system ever developed and manufactured by the Indian private sector. Additionally, it marks the first instance of testing a carbon-composite-built motor at ISRO.
“All test parameters are within expected bounds, and this achievement takes us another step closer to the upcoming orbital launch of the Vikram-1 rocket,” Chandana remarked.
Kalam-250 incorporates cutting-edge technology, utilizing solid fuel and a high-performance ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers (EPDM) thermal protection system (TPS). The stage-2 features a carbon ablative flex nozzle and high-precision electro-mechanical actuators for thrust vector control, ensuring precise trajectory management.
Naga Bharath Daka, co-founder and COO of Skyroot, highlighted the importance of the test in validating critical systems for the launch. He noted that the successful validation of the flex nozzle control system represents a significant milestone in the company’s journey towards achieving orbital launch capabilities.
The test received crucial support from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), which supplied its proprietary head-mounted safe arm (HMSA) for ensuring the safe operation of the rocket stage.
With this milestone, Skyroot continues to advance its efforts in revolutionizing the Indian space sector. The company previously tested Kalam-100, the third stage of the Vikram-1 rocket, in June 2021. In November 2022, Skyroot made history by becoming India’s first private company to launch a sub-orbital rocket with the successful test-firing of Vikram-S.
As Skyroot progresses towards its goal of launching the Vikram-1 rocket into orbit in 2024, it underscores the growing capabilities of the Indian private sector in space exploration and technology development.
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