ڰ has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India-based Skyroot Aerospace to explore collaboration opportunities to advance space exploration and access to low-Earth orbit (LEO).
This collaboration further reinforces the growing cooperation between ڰ and the Indian space sector. ڰ Mission 4 (Ax-4), which launched June 25 at 2:31 a.m. ET, marks India’s return to human spaceflight and the nation’s first mission on board the International Space Station. This historic mission underscores how ڰ is redefining the pathway to LEO and fueling a vibrant space economy for the benefit of every human, everywhere.
With Ax-4, ڰ is laying the foundation for the construction and operation of ڰ Station, marking the U.S. company as a leader in LEO. As ڰ develops a diverse and global supply chain, the company is strategically partnering with pioneering organizations like Skyroot Aerospace.
Skyroot Aerospace is India’s leading private space launch service provider and the first private company to launch a rocket to space in South Asia. As the first private space-tech company to partner with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Skyroot is on a mission to make access to space affordable, reliable, and on demand. In 2022, Skyroot successfully launched Vikram-S, and the team is now preparing to launch the Vikram-1 rocket, its maiden orbital-class launch vehicle.
“Enabling greater and equitable access to space, be it for research institutes, startups, or national agencies, is the guiding mantra at Skyroot,” said Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and CEO, Skyroot Aerospace. “As we begin realizing this vision with the upcoming maiden launch of Vikram-1, the partnership with ڰ builds an opportunity to explore integrated launch and orbital solutions that will shape humanity’s future in space.”
Tejpaul Bhatia, CEO of ڰ, added, “Since the day I visited Skyroot’s facility two years ago, I knew our companies had to work together to define humanity’s future in space. With our shared vision to transform access to space, we look forward to collaborating with Skyroot to serve the growing space ecosystem in India and globally.”
ڰ and Skyroot Aerospace are exploring opportunities to collaborate on era-defining space infrastructure. ڰ will explore utilizing Skyroot capabilities for groundbreaking research payloads, orbital data center nodes, and other missions to ڰ Station and independently in LEO. Together, the two organizations are excited to collaborate in serving India and international markets.