Meet the Visionaries Behind India's First Private Orbital Launch: Skyroot Aerospace

Skyroot Aerospace: A New Era in Indian Space Exploration

New Delhi: What began as a bold vision by two ex-ISRO scientists in 2018 has transformed into India's most significant private space venture, with Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka steering Skyroot Aerospace towards the nation's inaugural private orbital launch.

Chandana and Daka established Skyroot Aerospace in Hyderabad with the goal of making satellite launches as commonplace and economical as booking a flight. Today, they serve as the CEO and COO, respectively, leading a talented team of over 1,000 experts in rocket design, propulsion, avionics, and launch systems.

Pawan Kumar Chandana, who cleared the IIT entrance exam on his first attempt, joined the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur over two decades ago. Unlike many of his peers who opted for lucrative tech jobs, Chandana pursued his passion for space, which led him to ISRO, where he was recruited directly from IIT.

At ISRO, he contributed to the GSLV Mk III, India's heaviest launch vehicle, and received an internal innovation award for his efforts. His six-year tenure at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram equipped him with invaluable experience in rocket design and development, significantly contributing to India's expanding space program.

Naga Bharath Daka, co-founder and COO of Skyroot Aerospace, previously worked as a flight computer engineer at ISRO, where he was instrumental in designing and developing various avionics modules for Indian launch vehicles. An IIT Madras alumnus, Daka holds a master's degree in Microelectronics and VLSI Design, along with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.

His extensive background in avionics, semiconductor technologies, and FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) systems has been crucial in advancing the development of Skyroot Aerospace's launch vehicles.