Skyroot Aerospace successfully test fires Kalam-250 rocket engine
- In Reports
- 09:19 PM, Mar 29, 2024
- Myind Staff
Skyroot Aerospace, a space technology company, has accomplished a successful test firing of the Stage-2 component of the Vikram-1 space launch vehicle, known as Kalam-250. This test took place at the propulsion test facility of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), located at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
In a press release issued on 28th March, the city-based firm announced that the upcoming Vikram-1 launch is anticipated to be a significant milestone for the Indian space industry, marking the country's first private orbital rocket launch. This event follows the notable suborbital space launch of India's inaugural private rocket, the Vikram-S, conducted by Skyroot in November 2022.
Conducted on 27th March, the test lasted for 85 seconds and documented a maximum sea-level thrust of 186 kilonewtons (kN), which is estimated to reach approximately 235 kN in flight when fully expanded in a vacuum, as stated.
The Kalam-250 is characterized by its high-strength carbon composite rocket motor and utilises solid fuel along with a high-performance Ethylene-Propylene-Diene terpolymers (EPDM) thermal protection system (TPS).
Pawan Chandana, Co-Founder and CEO, expressed, "This marks a significant achievement for the Indian space sector, signifying the successful testing of the largest propulsion system ever devised and produced by the Indian private sector to date. It also represents the first testing of a carbon composite-built motor at ISRO."
He further stated, "All test parameters are as anticipated, and this accomplishment brings us one step nearer to the forthcoming orbital launch of the Vikram-1 rocket."
Naga Bharath Daka, Co-Founder and COO of Skyroot, highlighted the significance of this groundbreaking test, emphasising the validation of the crucial launch system—the flex nozzle control system—during the firing process for the first time. He described it as a pivotal milestone in their journey. Daka emphasised their focus on achieving additional milestones in the upcoming months to pave the way for the inaugural orbital launch of the Vikram-1 in 2024.
The test also received valuable support from another ISRO centre, the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), which provided its proprietary head-mounted safe arm (HMSA) for the test. This arm is utilised for the secure operation of the rocket stage, as mentioned in the release.
Image Source: Business Standard
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