IT'S ROCKET SCIENCE!

In 2022, Skyroot made history by launching India's first privately developed rocket, Vikram-S. Now, after testing the third stage of orbital launch vehicle Vikram-I, co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana opens up to CE about the journey

- NITIKA KRISHNA

As soon as the exam ended and the bell rang, what did we do with our question papers? Some of us tossed them back in our bags to foretell our marks, while others fancied themselves to be Picassos and Van Goghs, turning the sheets into their personal doodle pads. But then there were those who meticulously folded the paper to create rockets, pretending to be India's top scientists before the next period started. Because rockets—they're fascinating, aren't they?

Well, Pawan Kumar Chandana's fascination skyrocketed to the point where he, along with his friend Naga Bharath Daka, founded Skyroot Aerospace, which launched India's first privately developed rocket. A former ISRO scientist and IIT Kharagpur alumnus, Pawan now leads a team of over 350 individuals building world-class launch vehicles.

He speaks with CE about Skyroot's ascent, Vikram-I, and what lies ahead.

ExcerptsSkyroot is very clear about its mission to 'open space for all'. In an era where many are looking to 'conquer' space, where does this thought come from?

Space was always meant to be a place to explore, learn from, and utilize thoughtfully to improve lives on Earth. Astronauts say that from up there, you don't see boundaries and regional differences, but just this beautiful blue marble that sustains life like no other planet we know of. Earth is a unique place in the vast galaxy,

and what we achieve in space, be it through satellite communications or deep space exploration, should be for the benefit of all on Earth.

Our purpose at Skyroot is to enable this by democratizing access to space. Once we remove the barriers to space for nations, startups, and even universities alike, we can build incredible technological solutions that can impact how we live, communicate, irrigate, plan our cities, protect the environment, and more.

Were you always interested in space?