Indian Space Program: News & Discussion

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/SomanathSpeak/status/1993 ... 19237?s=20 ---> Today, Hon’ble Prime Minister Modiji unveiled Skyroot’s Vikram-1 flight rocket at the new Infinity campus — a milestone that marks India’s bold emergence in the new-space era. The upcoming inaugural launch will not only demonstrate the nation’s private-sector launch capability but also signal the beginning of scaled production from this world-class facility. This achievement is a testament to the Hon’ble PM’s visionary leadership that opened India’s space sector to startups, enabling innovation, investment, and global competitiveness to flourish. Proud to have been associated with Skyroot’s inspiring journey, and to witness India’s young entrepreneurs shaping the future of space technology.

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/ANI/status/1993995682072482081?s=20 ---> Hyderabad, Telangana: On PM Modi virtually inaugurating Skyroot Aerospace's Infinity Campus and unveiling India’s first private rocket, Vikram-I, Indian astronaut & IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla says, "...This is the facility that will be used to make the rocket, Vikram-1, which is going to be launched in a few months. This is going to be a defining moment for India's space journey in the private sector because this will be the first orbital-class launch that will happen from Indian soil... My message to the youth is this: India is on its path of space exploration. We have missions like Gaganyaan and Bharatiya Antariksh Station and landing on the moon... I very strongly believe that space is going to be one of the defining sectors in India's journey to Viksit Bharat 2047..."

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/Siege4570/status/1993938943604302320?s=20 ---> PM Modi inaugurates Skyroot’s Infinity Campus in Hyderabad,Bharat’s largest private rocket factory and home to Bharat’s first private commercial rocket.

1 rocket/month capacity
200,000 sq ft facility
Set to contribute to Bharat reaching 50 launches/year by 2030

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/SkyrootA/status/1994056538408026454?s=20 ----> In today's India , no dream is too big, no frontier is beyond reach. Under the visionary leadership of Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi, the nation has unlocked unprecedented space opportunities, empowered bold innovation, and propelled our space-tech industry to new heights. We are deeply grateful to the Hon'ble Prime Minister for inaugurating Skyroot's Infinity Campus — India's largest private rocket factory. As the Hon'ble Prime Minister said, our Infinity Campus is a symbol of young India's bold ambitions. Thank you, Hon'ble PM, for continuously inspiring and pushing us to dream big and build big — right here in India.

VIDEO: https://x.com/ANI/status/1993927135719735711?s=20 ----> At the inauguration of Indian space startup Skyroot’s Infinity Campus, PM Modi says, "India's youth puts the nation's interests first. They utilise every opportunity wisely. When the government opened the space sector, the country's youth, especially our Gen Z, leapt forward to take full advantage of it. Today, India's more than 300 space startups are giving new hope to India's space future..."

[Ashokk]

ISRO's Brutal 'No-GPS' Drone Challenge: Why Everyone Failed
ISRO's 'No-GPS' Drone Challenge was so brutal that not a single team could complete the full autonomous mission. Why did everyone fail?

Chapters:
00:00 - ISRO Drone Challenge goal/mission
01:08 - Team Njord 3rd place
04:04 - Team Soorya 2nd place
07:11 - Team Galactic Gearheads 1st place
10:10 - Comaprison to Nasa's approach/method

[Ashokk]

Successful Demonstration of Boot-Strap Mode Start of CE20 Cryogenic engine

The CE20 cryogenic engine, powering the LVM3 upper stage, is already qualified for operation at thrust levels ranging from 19 to 22 tonnes in flight with a single start. The engine has also been qualified for the Gaganyaan missions. During nominal operation, the engine ignition is initiated under tank head conditions, followed by the start of turbopumps using a stored gas start-up system.

For future missions, multiple in-flight restarts of the CE20 engine will be required for mission flexibility towards multi-orbit missions. However, with the present configuration, each restart demands an additional start-up gas bottle and associated systems, leading to a reduction in vehicle payload capability. Hence, achieving boot-strap mode start - where the engine builds up to steady operation without external start-up assistance - is essential.

In this regard, a boot-strap mode start test on the CE20 Cryogenic engine was successfully conducted under vacuum conditions in the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri on 7th November 2025, for a duration of 10 seconds. A multi-element igniter was employed in both the thrust chamber and gas generator to facilitate boot-strap starting. In this test, following the ignition of the thrust chamber, the gas generator was ignited under tank head conditions, and the turbopumps were started without the use of the start-up system. Subsequently, boot-strap mode build-up and steady-state operation of the engine were successfully demonstrated.

With this achievement, ISRO has successfully demonstrated boot-strap mode starting of a gas-generator cycle cryogenic engine without any auxiliary start-up system, perhaps for the first time in the world - a significant milestone towards enhancing the restart capability and mission flexibility of future LVM3 flights.