Hyderabad is the rocket city. Most of the recently launched India’s first private rocket was entirely built in Hyderabad. The supply chain is very critical. Hyderabad is the best city in India for the supply chain for building rockets. It is also the best in the world said Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-founder of Skyroot Aerospace, Hyderabad start-up behind India’s first privately designed and built rocket that was launched recently. Talking to FICCI Ladies Organisation(FLO) Members at Hotel Radisson Blu in Banjara Hills on “THE METTLE AND THE MANTLE” Indian Business Growth Trajectories, he said only a few countries in the world have the capabilities of building satellites on their own. India is far ahead in space technology. And Hyderabad is becoming a hub.
The talk was organised by FLO Hyderabad. Welcoming the gatherings Shubhraa Maheshwari, Chairperson of FLO Hyderabad said ‘be a solution to the problem, nobody can stop being a unicorn’. 150 FLO members attended the session, Pawan Kumar Chandana participated and spoke along with two other startup co-founders Alok Bansal Co-founder & Executive Vice Chairman, Policy Bazaar a one-stop destination online for all types of insurance products and Pavan Guntupalli, Co-founder of Rapido.
“Space technology is exciting. Only 10% of the universe is covered by mobile technology. The rest of the 90% is space. It is very challenging and exciting. We would like to focus on building smaller satellites of less than 500 kg, he shared. Around 100 to 150 satellites are launched every year over the world and well over 1000 satellites are launched every year. In the next ten years, this number is likely to go up to 40, 000. So we will focus on how we can launch small satellites most cost-effectively.
Replying to a question whether they have any plans to take tourists into space he said that is already happening in the west. As far as India is concerned it might take about ten years. And we are not focusing much on that now. Our focus is on building smaller rockets. The future is not far away see Indian tourists going into space. The future is not far away to see the cost of travelling to space will come down as reasonable as an air ticket” said Pawan
Speaking about their plans he said they are working on Vikrant 1. It will be a bigger one that will put satellites into orbit. We are planning to launch it next year, Pawan, revealed. Space will be democratized. Everyone can dream of going into space in future he said. Until now Rockets can take a maximum of ten people. But the research is on that an aircraft load of passengers is likely to go into space in future.
Earth is overpopulated. Now outer space is being explored for human habitation. Internet through satellite will become as common as the internet we are using in the next five years, Pawan informed. Telugu states have contributed immensely to space technology. We have two promising space technology startups Dhruva Space and Skyroot Aerosoacelocated in Hyderabad. We have ISRO’s spaceport in Sriharikota which is in the Telugu states. Hyderabad is the Rocket building aerospace hub, informed Pawan.
Women do a lot and can contribute more to space technology. This sector has less than 10% women Pawan said. He wants more Kalpana Chawlas in aerospace technology. Alok Bansal, Co-founder & Executive Vice Chairman, Policy Bazaar and Pavan Guntupalli, Co-founder of Rapido have shared their journey. Most people were sceptical that women would not use Rapido, but it was proved wrong. 22 to 40% of users are women shared Pavan Guntupalli.
