Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handwritten postcard carrying the words ‘Vande Mataram’ will travel to space aboard Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 on July 18, the private space startup announced on Friday.
In a post on social media platform X, Skyroot Aerospace said PM Modi’s handwritten message will be among the special payloads onboard the mission, alongside handwritten notes from the company’s team, investors, policymakers and well-wishers from across the globe.
“Among the payloads on Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 is something truly special – a handwritten postcard from PM Modi with the words, ‘Vande Mataram’,” the company said.
According to Skyroot, the keepsakes are part of Mission Aagaman, which it described as “a celebration carried by many hands and shared by millions.”
The company said the handwritten messages symbolise the collective support behind India’s growing private space ecosystem and will accompany the Vikram-1 mission into space.
Vikram-1 – Skyroot Aerospace’s maiden orbital launch vehicle is expected to mark a significant milestone for India’s private space sector. The mission aims to demonstrate the capabilities of the indigenously developed launch vehicle and strengthen the country’s commercial space ambitions.
On Thursday, the Hyderabad-based startup announced that it will attempt the maiden test flight of Vikram-1 from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) on July 18.
The launch will mark the first attempt by a privately developed orbital-class rocket to lift off from Indian soil.
Besides the commemorative keepsakes, Vikram-1 will carry technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed and Skyroot’s own SCOPE, along with Cosmic Bloom, an artwork by Cosmos Diamonds and a micro-art payload.
The required airspace and maritime clearances have been secured, with authorities issuing the necessary notices designating restricted zones along the rocket’s ascent and impact corridor, according to the company.
-IANS
