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.
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Skyroot 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 utilise 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 democratising 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.
This one is for our curious readers — why the name 'Skyroot'?
We aim high and soar skyward — not for the sheer thrill of it, but for the very rooted belief that what's up there improves lives on Earth.
Were you always interested in space?
I come from a very humble family. Good values and good education were the dinner topics; space at the time felt so far off. But as I grew up, my deep passion for technology and the cosmos grew. Even as rockets fascinated me, I did not know that I would one day be building them.
The turning point was at IIT-Kharagpur. I came to know that ISRO was coming to the campus for recruitment. At that time, most IIT students preferred to join consumer tech companies or global software giants, and even ISRO did not frequent IITs so often. But my single-minded focus then was to join ISRO, because I knew space was my calling.
You were a scientist at ISRO for several years. How was your stint there and what fuelled you to set up Skyroot?
The six years I spent at ISRO were incredibly rewarding. It was a fulfilling dream to be part of building a rocket. I had the opportunity to be part of the team that built the biggest rocket ISRO was then developing — the LVM3, or the Bahubali rocket.
ISRO was also a great vantage point to observe how the rest of the world was developing their space technologies. I could see the rise of private companies in the US and other countries, which were building rockets innovatively and cost efficiently. Private space programmes were broadening the horizon of who could access and build for space.
I could see how the future of space was evolving. And yet, there was no Indian private company building rockets. So, I found the second chapter of my space calling. In 2018, my friend Bharath and I started Skyroot. We wanted to build an Indian company that could go global and develop rockets for the world.
In 2022, Skyroot launched India’s first privately developed rocket, Vikram-S. And recently, you test-fired Kalam-100, the third stage of Vikram-I. Can you tell us more about this?
As the saying goes, it is rocket science — it is incredibly challenging. Numerous systems and subsystems have to sync in perfect harmony for a rocket to launch successfully. You have to test and test again until you perfect every small aspect of a rocket. And even then, there are external challenges such as unexpected weather. The margin of error is very slim.
The true test is to launch a rocket. And that is what makes Vikram-S special. It was a validation for the technologies that we had developed at Skyroot. It was our small writing in the sky to showcase where we have reached, and where we plan to go further.
Now, we are preparing to validate the second part of that, i.e., where we plan to go. With Vikram-I, we aim to place satellites from across the world into Earth’s orbit. No private company in India has done this before. So, we have to test every aspect of this seven-storey-tall rocket before placing it vertically on the launchpad. This includes static fire of all the three solid stages, numerous short and long duration firing of the liquid engines, and more.
In the recent test, we fired the third stage of the rocket called Kalam-100, which is designed to operate completely in space. The test evaluated its ballistic performance, thermal insulation, nozzle actuation, and other key parameters — and it was a great success.
For the uninitiated — what does it take to build a rocket?
Audacity and perseverance. Of course, there is a lot of technological innovation and iterations involved. But building a rocket is not a linear journey. No rocket has ever been built without some failure or another. You will face setbacks on the way. You have to learn from them just as you do from your successes. At Skyroot, we have been fortunate to have built a team that is as passionate as any of us are on this mission.
What are the common challenges that startups in the space sector face, and what advice do you have for them?
Space-tech endeavours are time- and capital-consuming. There will be setbacks and challenges that will test you. It is important to maintain a consistent long-term perspective when crafting strategies, rather than succumbing to the allure of short-term gains. That’s my advice to entrepreneurs starting out as well: stay resilient and stay true to your trajectory. A rocket doesn’t take a straight line to space... building a space startup is a similar journey.
How can we cultivate the interest of children and youngsters in space?
Science fiction movies and books have done wonders in sparking interest in space among young minds. Beyond that, we need to make space education more accessible and engaging. Schools can incorporate space-related topics into their curriculum, organise visits to research institutes and startups, and invite professionals from the space industry. The young minds should get an opportunity to see and work with technology.
Can you tell us about the upcoming goals you have?
Future launch vehicles, such as Vikram-II, are being developed. Our immediate goal remains the maiden flight of Vikram-I, slated for the second half of this year, and to learn from that to make further improvements to the launch vehicle. With Vikram-I, we want to offer satellite launches into a variety of orbits at a high frequency. If all goes well, you are going to see a lot of Vikram-I launches from India in the coming years.