Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka: Pioneers of Indian Private Space Exploration

In November, Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka etched their names in Indian spacefaring history by launching Vikram-S, the nation’s first privately-built space rocket. This milestone marked a significant achievement for their aerospace start up, Skyroot Aerospace, which they co-founded in 2018. With a visionary outlook and a profound understanding of the evolving space industry, these former ISRO engineers embarked on a mission to cater to the surging demand for low-Earth orbit satellite launches worldwide.

Anticipating the Satellite Boom:

Chandana and Daka foresaw the imminent surge in the demand for low-Earth orbit satellites, driven by a myriad of applications ranging from communication to Earth observation. This foresight led them to establish Skyroot Aerospace, positioning themselves at the forefront of India’s private space exploration landscape.

A Tribute to Space Visionaries:

Vikram-S, their maiden creation, pays homage to two luminaries in India’s space history. Named after Vikram Sarabhai, often hailed as the father of India’s space endeavors, and featuring the “Kalam-80” motor in honor of the late APJ Abdul Kalam, a pioneer in rocket technology and former President of India, the rocket’s launch was a tribute to these space visionaries. On November 18, Vikram-S soared into the sky, reaching an altitude of 89.5 kilometers and surpassing five times the speed of sound before gracefully splashing down into the Bay of Bengal. Weighing 545 kilograms and standing at 6 meters tall, this all-composite rocket demonstrated its capability to carry a payload of 83 kilograms to an altitude of 100 kilometers above Earth’s surface.

A Historic Moment for Indian Private Space Industry:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the successful launch as a “historic moment” for India’s private space industry, emphasizing the significance of this achievement. Beyond the symbolic importance, Vikram-S played a crucial role in testing and validating key technologies, including flight avionics, that will be incorporated into Skyroot Aerospace’s upcoming Vikram series of rockets, starting with Vikram-1.

Chandana envisions an ambitious future for Skyroot Aerospace. Within the next two years, their goal is to achieve a launch cadence of at least one mission per month. Depending on market demand, they aspire to ramp up production to the point where they can launch one rocket every week. While acknowledging that the goal of one launch per day is aspirational, Chandana maintains a belief in its feasibility. As the demand for satellite launches continues to grow, driven by an insatiable appetite for connectivity, Earth observation, and scientific exploration, Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka’s Skyroot Aerospace emerges as a rising star in the private space exploration sector. Their innovative approach, technical expertise, and commitment to pushing the boundaries of space technology position them as pioneers in India’s burgeoning space industry.

In the coming years, their journey promises to be one of innovation, exploration, and achievement as they continue to push the limits of what’s possible in the world of spacefaring. With Vikram-S as the first stepping stone, the sky is not the limit; it’s just the beginning for Chandana, Daka, and Skyroot Aerospace.