Skyroot set to ink pact to get access to Isro facilities

Chennai: Private sector rocket maker 'Skyroot Aerospace', which successfully test fired a solid propulsion rocket stage/engine called 'Kalam-5' recently, will soon sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with the Department of Space (DoS) to use the facilities of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), said a top company official.

He also said the Central government should set up a 'Space Fund' to finance the space-sector startups as the business takes a long gestation time and Isro should expedite the building of its second rocket port at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu.

"We recently test fired a solid propulsion rocket stage 'Kalam-5'. It is a demonstrator solid rocket propulsion stage with exactly the same propellant, materials and interfaces as the three solid propulsion stages of 'Vikram-1' rocket," said Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "We will be signing the non-disclosure agreement with the Department of Space in order to get access to ISRO facilities. The full scale solid fuel stage will be tested at ISRO's rocket port in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh," Chandana added.

Skyroot has raised $4.3 million till date and is in the process of raising another $15 million in 2021, he added.

"Like other countries, the Indian government should set up a 'Space Fund' to finance space-sector startups. The players need long-term finance as it is a long-gestation business and there are not many private financiers to provide the funds," Chandana said.