US Firm Buys Two Dedicated Launches From Skyroot

Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace has secured an agreement with US-based Reflect Orbital for two dedicated launches using its Vikram rocket family to deploy the American company's future spacecraft. The agreement will provide Reflect Orbital with dedicated launch capacity and flexibility in scheduling its missions.

The launches will complement the company's other planned missions from launch sites in the United States. Reflect Orbital develops and operates orbital mirrors designed to direct sunlight to specific locations on Earth. The company plans to use the technology for applications such as remote search-and-rescue operations and supporting solar farms in generating clean energy.

Reflect Orbital co-founder and CEO Ben Nowack said access to launch capacity remained a challenge for the space industry and that the partnership with Skyroot would help secure access to space for its missions. Nowack said the company had recently received authorisation from the US Federal Communications Commission to operate its first spacecraft.

He added that Reflect Orbital would continue engaging with astronomers, local communities and regulators as it expanded operations. Skyroot Aerospace co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana said the agreement covered two dedicated launches and would provide Reflect Orbital with scheduling certainty and mission flexibility.

The agreement adds to Skyroot's commercial launch commitments and supports Reflect Orbital's phased spacecraft deployment plans. Skyroot's Vikram-1 launch vehicle recently reached orbit on its maiden flight, marking a milestone for India's private space sector.