Global customers are watching closely, says Skyroot founder Pawan Chandana

Chandana said the government has moved very quickly and supported the industry efficiently. "It also strengthens India's credibility globally. You saw the congratulations coming in from across the industry, and international customers are watching closely. This launch tells them that India now has a commercially capable space industry, which is a big boost for winning business from overseas as well,” he said. Edited excerpts from the interview:

How was it the day you were launching Vikram 1?

It was a very crucial period for us. Every component in a rocket is critical, and there are thousands of systems that all have to work together seamlessly. Even a minor issue has to be understood, fixed, and thoroughly tested before moving ahead.

The final two to three weeks were especially intense, with most of the core team averaging just three to four hours of sleep a night and many days without any sleep at all. After six years of development, everyone treated the mission as a personal one. Since this was the first time a private company was launching an orbital rocket from a government spaceport, there were many firsts and constant last-minute technical challenges that the team had to solve in real time.

How much does access to capital influence your launch plans and the pace at which you scale?

Every launch involves uncertainty. We think about it in terms of known issues, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns. The known unknowns are risks we can anticipate and prepare for. But there are also unknown unknowns—things you can only discover during flight. That's why every launch is a learning experience. Before launch, we make sure we've addressed all the known unknowns as thoroughly as possible.

Capital also directly impacts our timelines. As a private company, we have to be very careful about how much we spend and when we spend it. It took us almost seven years to raise around $100 million, so scaling has been a gradual journey of raising capital, building the technology, and validating it through successive milestones.

What is the plan after this? Should we expect another Vikram-1 launch next, or will Vikram-2 be the next rocket you launch?

Vikram-1 is our workhorse rocket, so you'll see more Vikram-1 launches. We're currently analysing all the data from the first mission to identify improvements for the second mission, and that process will determine the exact timeline. As of now, our target is to conduct the second Vikram-1 launch later this year.

Next year, we aim to significantly increase our launch cadence. We're also targeting the first launch of Vikram-2 end of next year. That said, Vikram-2 is a much more complex vehicle, so we'll continue evaluating our progress over the coming quarters before locking in the schedule. The goal is to keep increasing the number of launches every year.

What's the development cycle like for Vikram-2? Will you need additional funding for Vikram-2?

The first stage of development is already complete, and we've also carried out flight testing. So there are no major changes required there. The second stage is still under development, and completing that development is what will take time. But the Vikram family shares a lot of common systems and technologies, so we're able to build on what we've already developed.

Right now, we're adequately funded as we just raised a round. Beyond that, we'll evaluate our capital requirements based on the progress of the programme.

What impact do you think this launch will have on India's broader spacetech ecosystem?

This is a global milestone achieved by an Indian private company, and it demonstrates to the entire ecosystem that building world-class space technology in India is possible. That gives founders and engineers the confidence to pursue ambitious ideas.

It will also boost investor confidence because we've demonstrated that India can commercially build and operate something as complex as an orbital launch vehicle.

At the same time, it validates the government's efforts in opening up the space sector and creating a more supportive regulatory environment. I think this success will encourage even greater support for the industry. Finally, it strengthens India's credibility with international customers. They're watching these milestones closely, and this launch reinforces India's position as a serious player in the global space market.

Did In-Space play a role in your success?

In-Space (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre) is absolutely crucial to our progress, since they are the domestic private space regulator. The body has offered us crucial resources, and also enabled us to access Isro’s facilities—where we conduct a lot of tests and trials. Overall, their cooperation and support are crucial to successfully making space engineering on Indian soil.