Ex-ISRO Startup Eyes Historic Rocket Launch in India
India’s rapidly growing private space industry is preparing for a major milestone as Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace gears up for the maiden orbital launch of its Vikram-1 rocket from Sriharikota in the coming weeks. Founded by former Indian Space Research Organisation scientist Pawan Kumar Chandana and co-founder Naga Bharath Daka, Skyroot Aerospace has become India’s first private space-tech unicorn. According to reports by NDTV, the company is now valued at nearly ₹1,500 crore, marking a remarkable rise just eight years after Chandana left his government role at ISRO, where he earned a monthly salary of ₹75,000. Speaking about the company’s long-term vision, Chandana said Skyroot aims to “open space for all,” imagining a future where access to space could become as simple as booking a cab. A mechanical engineering graduate from IIT Kharagpur, Chandana said his fascination with rockets began early and eventually led him to work on ISRO’s heavy-lift Launch Vehicle Mark-3, often ref...