Skyroot CEO Explains How India’s Private Space Startup Plans To Compete Globally

Skyroot Aerospace CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana’s vision of making space access as simple as booking a ride has gained fresh attention after the company’s Vikram-1 rocket successfully reached orbit, marking a major milestone for India’s private space sector. Following the achievement, Chandana’s earlier description of Skyroot as the “Uber for space” has resurfaced, highlighting the company’s ambition to transform commercial space transportation.

In an earlier appearance on NDTV Profit’s “The Disruptors” show, Chandana explained the comparison between Skyroot and companies such as SpaceX. He described SpaceX as a large-scale transport system that carries satellites, while Skyroot aims to function like a specialised cab service that allows satellite companies to book dedicated rocket launches based on their specific requirements.

Explaining the idea further, Chandana said that just as people choose a cab instead of a train when they need to reach a particular destination, satellite companies require flexible launch options to place their payloads into specific orbits. According to him, Skyroot’s goal is to allow customers to book rockets, place their satellites on board and send them to their desired location in space.

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Chandana said that developing reliable rockets could open opportunities beyond satellite launches. He pointed to future possibilities including human spaceflight, space-based manufacturing, and other emerging industries. He said that building launch vehicles is the foundation for expanding access to multiple space-related markets.

The Skyroot CEO also highlighted cost and launch frequency as key challenges for the industry. He said the company’s objective is to develop affordable and regularly available rockets that can make space missions more accessible. The broader aim, he said, is to make space travel more routine and predictable, similar to the way air travel operates.

The successful orbital mission of Vikram-1 has positioned Skyroot as the first Indian private company to achieve this milestone and represents a significant development for India’s growing commercial space ecosystem. The achievement places India among the limited number of countries with private companies capable of reaching orbit, strengthening the role of private players in the global space industry.

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