Skyroot Aerospace successfully test fires its rocket engine

CHENNAI: Private sector rocket maker Skyroot Aerospace Private Ltd successfully tested its Vikram-1 rocket's third stage/engine.

The company on Thursday announced the completion of the milestone of full duration test-firing of its Vikram-1 rocket stage.

Named 'Kalam-100' after renowned Indian rocket scientist Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the third stage of Vikram-1 produces a peak vacuum thrust of 100 kN (about10 tons) and has a burn time of 108 seconds.

The rocket stage is built with high-strength carbon fiber structure, solid fuel, Ethylene-Propylene-Diene terpolymers (EPDM) thermal protection system, and carbon ablative nozzle.

The rocket stage/engine has no moving parts and a high level of automation in manufacturing.

"Full duration stage level testing is a major milestone for the development of our flagship orbital vehicle Vikram-1. The stage has delivered excellent performance and this success gives great confidence for our other rocket stages planned to be tested soon," Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-Founder and CEO.

"This is best in class rocket stage of this size, with record propellant loading and firing duration, and using all carbon composite structure for delivering best performance," added Naga Bharath Daka, Co-Founder and COO.

The rocket's stage was tested at the facilities of Solar Industries India Ltd, one of the investors in Skyroot.

"This is the largest rocket stage ever designed, manufactured, and tested completely in the Indian private sector. We are proud to be a part of this achievement by supporting the propellant processing and static testing at our world class facilities in Nagpur," said Manish Nuwal, MD and CEO of Solar Industries.

"State-of-the-art technology like carbon composite case, high propellant volumetric loading up to 94 per cent, lighter EPDM based thermal protection system, and submerged nozzle have been validated through the successful static test," said Eswaran V.G., a veteran Indian rocket scientist and Vice President of Propulsion at Skyroot Aerospace.