India’s own Elon Musks have roots in Hyderabad

印度的“埃隆·马斯克”扎根于海得拉巴

HYDERABAD: When world’s only operational small rockets maker Rocket Lab, a New Zealand-American space technology start-up, attempted test launch of its lightweight orbital rocket Electron in May 2017, Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace was still a germ of an idea.

海德拉巴：2017年5月，当世界上唯一在运行的小型火箭制造商，新西兰-美国空间技术初创企业火箭实验室(Rocket Lab)试图测试发射其轻型轨道火箭Electron时，总部位于海德拉巴的天根航空航天公司还只是一个刚萌芽的想法。

It’s founders Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, both IITians who had joined ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thiruvananthapuram together in 2012, were busy in their respective jobs -- Chandana at ISRO and Daka with semiconductor company ilinx in Hyderabad. But both were dreaming of making rockets and over six months after draft Space Activities Bill 2017 was unveiled, they decided to start Skyroot Aerospace armed with inspiration from Elon Musk and Rocket Lab and a Rs 10.3 crore seed funding from Curefit founders Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori. “When we took the leap of faith in June 2018 there were no guidelines for private players to come in. Cabinet approval for private sector participation two months back came at perfect time,” said Pawan, which created history by test firing its upper stage rocket engine Raman in July end at a government facility near Hyderabad. Skyroot’s 40-member team designed India’s first 100% 3D-printed bi-propellant liquid rocket engine injector that helped reduce its overall mass by 50% and total number of components and lead time by 80%, said Chandana, explaining what would have taken 3-4 months took only a couple of weeks thanks to 3D printing. Startup has also developed in-house the software for launch vehicle guidance, navigation and control functions and is testing onboard avionics modules, said Bharath.

其创始人帕万·库马尔·钱德纳和纳迦·巴拉斯·达卡都是印度理工学院的学生，两人在2012年一起加入了ISRO的Vikram Sarabhai航天中心，各自忙于各自的工作——钱德纳在ISRO工作，达卡在海得拉巴的半导体公司ilinx工作。但两人的梦想都是制造火箭。在2017年太空活动草案公布6个多月后，他们决定创立Skyroot Aerospace，灵感来自埃隆·马斯克和火箭实验室，及Curefit创始人穆克什·班萨和安吉特·纳森提供了1.03亿卢比种子基金。

帕万说：“2018年6月，当我们满怀信心地迈出第一步时，没有规定私人投资者可以参与。两个月前，印度内阁批准私营部门可以参与，这是一个完美的时机。”今年7月底，帕万在海得拉巴附近的一个政府设施试射了上一级火箭发动机“拉曼”，创造了历史。帕万说，Skyroot的40人团队设计了印度首个100% 3D打印双推进剂液体火箭发动机喷油器，这有助于将发动机质量降低50%，并减少其构造所需的零部件，并将其交货时间缩短了80%。

他解释说，由于3D打印技术，原本需要3-4个月才能完成的工作只花了几周时间。达卡说，公司还为火箭制导、导航和控制功能开发了内部软件，并在机载电子模块上进行测试。

Having raised Rs 31.5 crore, Skyroot is now in parleys to raise Rs 90 crore to build one of the cheapest small rockets. While most global space startups raised funding of over $100 mn for their first test launch, we will be able to do it at one-fifth the cost, said Chandana.

Skyroot已经筹集了3.15亿卢比资金，现在正在谈判筹集9亿卢比来建造一种最便宜的小型火箭。帕万说:“尽管全球大多数太空初创企业为首次测试发射筹集了的资金超过1亿美元，但我们能够以五分之一的成本完成。”

Skyroot plans launch vehicle by December 2021

Skyroot计划在2021年12月发射运载火箭

Skyroot is now working on putting its first launch vehicle Vikram-I into space by December 2021, said Daka, adding that rocket will have capability to insert multiple satellites into orbit and can be assembled and launched within 24 hours from any launch site. But before that other stages of the rocket will be tested over the next 6-12 months. “There are three more stages of manufacturing that we are working on. Most of them have been designed and are in final stages of manufacturing,” explained Chandana. Skyroot is building small rockets that can launch multiple small commercial satellites and is eyeing revenues from satellite launches.

达卡表示，Skyroot目前正致力于在2021年12月之前将其首枚运载火箭Vikram-I送入太空，并补充说，该火箭将有能力将多颗卫星送入轨道，并可以在24小时内在任何发射场组装和发射。但在此之前，火箭的其它级将在未来6-12个月进行测试。他说:“我们还在进行另外三个级的制造。它们中的大多数已经设计好，并处于制造的最后阶段。”Skyroot正在制造能够发射多颗小型商业卫星的小型火箭，并着眼于从卫星发射中获得收入。

 以下是印度时报读者的评论：

译文来源：三泰虎 http://www.santaihu.com/p/50651.html  译者：Jessica.Wu

Pream

Such talents needs to be taken care of by GOI else they can easily be poached by any Country.

政府要多关照这样的人才，否则他们很容易被其他国家挖走。

Sandeep Chinta

Blessed are those who dream big and pursue it...

上天眷顾那些有远大梦想和追求的人……

Gopal B

These Brilliant boys are a true inspiration for our youth and fitting Brand Ambassadors for Make in India campaign. Govt should proactively come forward to offer all required facilities and support their endeavour that will place India in the forefront of world Space Technology sector.

这些聪明的男生是我们年轻人的榜样，也是“印度制造”最合适的品牌大使。政府应该主动提供他们所需的设施，支持他们的工作，让印度走在世界空间技术领域的前沿。

Anand Umachagi

i agree with you all, they should encouraged and supported fianancially intially to do big.

应该鼓励他们，提供资金，支持他们做大。

Milind Gore

Give a chance to younger generation, free of religion, caste, party etc. Indians will show rocket like development in all fields.

给年轻一代一个机会，远离宗教、种姓、党派斗争等。印度人将在所有领域展示火箭般的发展。

Blooming Sunflower

amazing guys... may you be successful in your endevour.

了不起的小伙子……祝你们成功。

D P Bhat

Most promising entrepreneurs ! Deserve all the support of ISRO !

他们是最有前途的企业家!值得ISRO全力支持!

Gautham Kumara

More power and support to these brilliant minds needed.

应该给予这些聪明的人更多的支持。

Bablu Bachar

Hindustan have given many gems to the world from ancient time to modern time. congrats to pavan and naga

从古代到现代，印度斯坦给了世界许多珍宝。祝贺帕万和达卡

Sourav chetia

make sure that their start-up doesn't take any investments

要确保他们的初创企业不接受任何投资

G.N. Balakrishnan

Yet another proof that INDIA will be a pioneer in the world, for such innovative technologies at dirt cheap cost.My best wishes to the duo. I am sure, they will come out with FLYING COLOURS.

这种创新技术的成本非常低廉，又一次证明了印度将成为世界的先驱。向他们致以最美好的祝愿。我相信，他们会成功的。

Ashis Biswal

There is no match for IIT engineers across the world.

印度理工学院的工程师在全世界都没有对手。

Sujit Singh

all the best

祝一切顺利！

Guru Ghantal

My humble request to both Chandana and Daka both aerospace engineers to design and manufacture an engine for Tejas fighter planes which are equiped with American made GE engines at present. Hindustan Aeronautics engineers are unable to make one for last 35 years so far

我请求他们为“光辉”战机设计和制造发动机，目前“光辉”装配的是美国制造的GE发动机。印度斯坦航空公司的工程师在过去35年里都没能制造出一款发动机。

Dilbag Rai

A matter of pridefor Idia

这是印度的骄傲

matt

congratulation and best wishes for their efforts.

祝贺，祝他们一切顺利。

Venkatesan N

Congratulations, keep up the good work

祝贺，继续努力

Praveen Unnikrishnan

great!!!

太棒了! ! !