THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A team of Keralite engineers who played a key role in developing Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital rocket, called on Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Tuesday. Seven of the 14-member team at Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace visited Satheesan at his office.
The team included Nirmal Nelson, who coordinated the launch vehicle’s electro-mechanical systems, Ajith Kumar S, who was part of the liquid propulsion stage design, Dr Binet Monachan, who handled design and testing of the fluid control system, Ajin Ghosh K, K and Ranjith Ravi, who contributed to propulsion system design, Lint C Thomas and Anjali Ashokan, members of the avionics quality and reliability team. Vaisakh V, Ramshij M, Anantha Krishnan, Vishnu M K, Sreenath S, Rahul Ramesh and Alexis J Neerakkal are the other members working at Skyroot.
The chief minister said the significant contribution of Malayalis behind the historic achievement was a matter of pride for the state.