Skyroot Aerospace Makes History with Successful Test-Firing of Kalam-250 Engine

Hyderabad, India – Skyroot Aerospace Pvt Ltd, a Telangana-based aerospace manufacturer and commercial launch service provider, achieved a milestone by successfully test-firing the Kalam-250 engine, the second stage of its Vikram-1 space launch vehicle, at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota recently.  

The test, lasting 85 seconds, demonstrated a peak sea-level thrust of 186 kilonewtons (kN), expected to reach 235 kN in space. Constructed from high-strength carbon composite materials, the Kalam-250 features a solid fuel system and advanced Ethylene-Propylene-Diene terpolymer (EPDM) thermal protection. Precision control is ensured through carbon-ablative flex nozzle and electro-mechanical actuators.

With the Vikram-I maiden launch anticipated by the third quarter of 2024, Skyroot aims to progress steadily pending further test completions. The test involved a proprietary head-mounted safe arm (HMSA) device from ISRO’s major space research centre,Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, with solid propellant processed at Solar Industries India Ltd’s Nagpur facility. Highlighting the milestone’s significance, Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-Founder and CEO, Skyroot Aerospace, marked the largest propulsion system tested by the Indian private sector and the first carbon-composite-built motor trialed at ISRO.

Image Source: Skyroot Aerospace

---

---