Source: The Hindu
Context:
Space-sector start-up Skyroot Aerospace has successfully conducted the full-duration test-firing of the third stage of the Vikram-1 rocket.
About:
About Skyroot Aerospace:
Skyroot Aerospace is the national-award winning startup.
It is building India’s first privately built space launch vehicles.
The firm, founded by former scientists of the Indian Space Research organization (ISRO), is a 150 plus member strong team actively developing their flagship Vikram series of space launch vehicles, named after ISRO founder Vikram Sarabhai.
Last year, Skyroot successfully demonstrated the country’s first privately developed cryogenic engine, Dhawan-1.
The engine, which will be the upper stage in the Vikram-2 rocket, was completely 3D printed using a superalloy, with the process reducing the manufacturing time by 95 per cent.
About Vikram-1:
The small-lift launch vehicle will be capable of putting 225 kg payloads into sun-synchronous polar orbit.
The Vikram 1 rocket will use four solid fuel-based stages for the launch.
The rocket stage is named ‘Kalam-100’ after former President late A P J Abdul Kalam.
The third stage of Vikram-1 produces a peak vacuum thrust of 100 kN (or ~10Tons) and has a burn time of 108 seconds.
The rocket stage is built with high-strength Carbon fiber structure, solid fuel, EPDM thermal protection system, and carbon ablative nozzle.
The rocket stage/engine has no moving parts and a high level of automation in manufacturing.
The rocket's stage was tested at the facilities of Solar Industries India Ltd, one of the investors in Skyroot.
