Stage-2 was critical as it plays a vital role in launching vehicle, propelling it from Earth's atmosphere into the vacuum of outer space.
Test firing of Kalam 250. (Supplied)
Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, a private-sector rocket maker and space-tech start-up, achieved another milestone on Wednesday, 27 March, by test-firing Kalam 250 — the stage-2 of Vikram-1 space launch vehicle at the propulsion testbed of ISRO.
Marking a pivotal moment for the Indian space sector, this launch will be India’s first private orbital rocket launch, following Skyroot’s suborbital space launch of the Vikram-S in November 2022.
While the Kalam 100, the third stage, was successfully test-fired in June 2021, Stage 2 was critical as it plays a vital role in launching the vehicle, propelling it from the Earth’s atmosphere into the vacuum of outer space.
During the 85-second test held at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, a peak sea-level thrust of 186 kilonewtons (kN) was recorded, translating to a fully expanded vacuum thrust of approximately 235kN during flight.
The Kalam 250 rocket motor is made of strong carbon composite material. It uses solid fuel and a high-performance Ethylene-Propylene-Diene terpolymer (EPDM) thermal protection system (TPS). The EPDM are a durable material made to withstand the toughest conditions.
It also features a high-performance thermal protection system made of Ethylene-Propylene-Diene terpolymers (EPDM).
The stage includes a flex nozzle made of carbon ablative material—commonly used in heat shields.
It also has precise electro-mechanical actuators—which convert hydraulic, electrical, or air energy into mechanical energy for controlling the rocket’s thrust direction, ensuring it follows the desired path.
Meanwhile, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), another centre of ISRO, provided its proprietary head-mounted safe arm (HMSA) for the test to ensure the safe operation of the rocket stage.
The solid propellant used in Kalam 250 was processed by Solar Industries at their facility in Nagpur.
#Hyderabad based space start-up @SkyrootA successfully test fires the Stage-2 of its Vikram-1 orbital rocket called Kalam-250, at the propulsion testbed of the Indian Space Research Organisation (@isro), at its Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota on March 27, 2024.… pic.twitter.com/0kE8oI5wAd
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) March 28, 2024
Celebrating the milestone, Pawan Chandana, Co-founder of Skyroot claimed it to be a successful test of the largest propulsion system ever designed and manufactured by the Indian private sector so far.
He further added that Kalam 250 was the “First carbon-composite-built motor tested at ISRO.”
“All test parameters meet expectations, bringing us closer to the upcoming orbital launch of the Vikram-1 rocket,” he added.
Naga Bharath Daka, Co-Founder and COO of Skyroot, said, the test was a significant milestone, as they validated the flex nozzle control system during firing for the first time.
“We have more milestones ahead and are focused on reaching our first orbital launch of the Vikram-1 in 2024. Our team’s perseverance, dedication, and support from IN-SPACe and ISRO have been crucial to our progress,” he concluded.
Skyroot Aerospace was formed in January 2017 by former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka.
In August 2020, Skyroot first test-fired the Raman-I solid-fuel upper stage. This solid-fuel upper stage is a component of Vikram-I, and Skyroot was the first Indian private entity to test such a stage.
Skyroot, which builds small satellite launch vehicles (SSLVs), was one of the first start-ups to sign an MoU with ISRO for sharing the latter’s facilities and expertise. It has raised $68 million in funding from investors so far.
According to Skyroot, it aims to make spaceflights affordable, reliable, and regular for all.
Skyroot’s launch vehicles are named ‘Vikram’ as a tribute to the founder of the Indian space programme and noted scientist Vikram Sarabhai
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula)
