SYLLABUS
GS-3: General awareness in the fields of Space.
Context: Recently, the Prime Minister of India inaugurated Skyroot’s Infinity Campus in Hyderabad, Telangana.
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• The Prime Minister also unveiled Skyroot’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I, with the capability to launch satellites to orbit.
• He underscored that India’s Space reforms—opening the space sector for private players, establishing IN-SPACe, and enabling startup participation—are transforming the country into a major global space launch hub.
• He highlighted government efforts to strengthen research through the National Research Foundation, One Nation One Subscription, and the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund.
• The Prime Minister reaffirmed that India aims to scale its launch capacity and create five new space-sector unicorns in the next five years.
Skyroot’s Infinity Campus
• The Infinity Campus was inaugurated as a state-of-the-art facility designed to support end-to-end development of launch vehicles.
• The facility represents the growing capability of private space companies in India and reflects the country’s shift toward an open and innovation-led space ecosystem.
• The campus is expected to accelerate design, integration, testing, and manufacturing processes for orbital rockets, strengthening India’s private launch infrastructure.
Vikram-I Rocket
• Vikram-I, Skyroot’s first orbital rocket represents a major milestone in India’s private spaceflight capability, following the success of Skyroot’s earlier sub-orbital mission.
• Vikram-I is designed for launching small satellites, addressing growing global demand and increasing launch frequencies across the world.
• The Vikram-I rocket is the first in the Vikram series and consists of three solid-fuel stages, each with a burn time of about 80 to 100 seconds.
• The fourth and final stage uses the Raman engine, which operates on Monomethylhydrazine (MMH) and Nitrogen Tetroxide (NTO) liquid propellants in a cluster of four engines.
- o The Raman engine cluster produces a total thrust of 3.4 kN and is used for precise orbital adjustments during the final phase of the mission.
• The rocket is designed to place a 290 kg payload into a 500 km Sun Synchronous Polar Orbit.
It can also lift a 480 kg payload to a 45° inclined Low Earth Orbit at 500 km altitude.
• The launch of Vikram-II is scheduled for 2026.