India's first privately built rocket set for November 15 launch
New Delhi (PTI): India's first privately developed rocket -- Vikram-S -- is set for a November 15 launch on a sub-orbital mission with three payloads, Hyderabad-based space startup Skyroot Aerospace has announced.
The maiden mission of Skyroot Aerospace, named 'Prarambh' (the beginning), will carry payloads of two Indian and one foreign customers and is set for launch from the Indian Space Research Organisation's launchpad at Sriharikota.
"Heartbeats quicken. All gazes are up to the sky. The earth is listening. It all points to 15 Nov 2022 for launch," Skyspace Aerospace said on Friday.
The launch is scheduled for 11:30 am, Skyroot Aerospace CEO and co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana had told PTI.
Spacekidz, a Chennai-based aerospace startup, will fly 'Fun-Sat', a 2.5 kg payload developed by students from India, the US, Singapore and Indonesia on the sub-orbital flight on board Vikram-S.
With this mission, Skyroot is set to become the first private space company in India to launch a rocket into space, heralding a new era for the space sector which was opened up in 2020 to facilitate private sector participation.
Skyroot's launch vehicles are named 'Vikram' as a tribute to the founder of the Indian space programme and renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai.
Based in Hyderabad, Skyroot was the first startup to sign a memorandum of understanding with ISRO for launching its rockets.
It aims to disrupt entry barriers to cost-efficient satellite launch services and space-flight by advancing its mission to make spaceflights affordable, reliable and regular for all, the statement said.
Set up in 2018, Skyroot has successfully built and tested India's first privately developed cryogenic, hypergolic-liquid, and solid fuel-based rocket engines using advanced composite and 3D-printing technologies.
Skyroot Aerospace successfully raised USD 51 million through a Series-B financing round, in September this year. It had raised USD 11 million in Series-A capital raise in July last year.
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After water contamination tragedy, MP CM orders safe supply for all
Bhopal (PTI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that ensuring the supply of safe drinking water to every citizen was the responsibility of urban local bodies and directed officials to prevent the supply of contaminated water under all circumstances.
Yadav's directive came after seven persons died in Indore's Bhagirathpura area recently following a diarrhoea outbreak triggered by the consumption of contaminated water.
Yadav is also the guardian minister of Indore, ranked as the country's cleanest city.
The Opposition Congress, which has sought the resignation of MP Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya in whose constituency the tragedy took place, is scheduled to hold a massive protest over the water contamination deaths in Indore on Sunday.
Addressing a high-level meeting at the airport here after returning from a visit to Sagar district, CM Yadav on Saturday launched a state-wide 'Swachh Jal Abhiyan' (Clean Water Campaign) aimed at ensuring safe drinking water in both rural and urban areas, a government statement said.
He said the quality of drinking water must be tested regularly and alternative arrangements should be made immediately if contamination is detected.
"This is a big challenge, but it must be addressed with seriousness so that the state can set an example for the country," Yadav added.
The chief minister said the government was committed to better management to provide pure drinking water to all and called upon public representatives and officials to discharge their responsibilities efficiently.
The Clean Water Campaign will be conducted in two phases - the first from January 10 to February 28 and the second from March 1 to March 31.
As part of the initiative, 'Jal Sunwai' (water grievance hearings) will also be organised to address drinking water-related issues of citizens, the CM said, asking officials to take these hearings seriously.
Yadav directed that all pipeline leakages be repaired promptly to ensure safe drinking water from a public health perspective and stressed that clean water should reach every household.
He appreciated the use of a mobile application by the urban administration department for monitoring the initiative.
Warning of strict action, the chief minister said any laxity in the supply of clean drinking water would not be tolerated.
The campaign, launched through video conferencing, focuses on water security, its conservation and grievance redressal. It includes cleaning of all water purification units and drinking water storage tanks, with monitoring through a GIS-based mapping application.
Under the initiative, water and sewage pipelines will be mapped on GIS platforms, interconnection points will be identified, and leakages will be checked, including through robotic inspection. Regular testing of drinking water sources and monitoring of sewage treatment plants will also be undertaken.
The government has also made special arrangements to register drinking water-related complaints on the helpline number 181. Applications related to drinking water problems will be resolved within a stipulated time frame and applicants will be informed accordingly.
Vijayvargiya, mayors, district panchayat presidents, divisional commissioners, collectors, municipal commissioners, CEOs of district panchayats and public representatives from urban and rural areas participated in the meeting via video conferencing.
Additional Chief Secretary for Urban Development and Housing, Sanjay Dubey, made a presentation on water security, conservation and grievance redressal, stating that continuous public awareness activities would be conducted through various media.
He said people would also be able to get water quality tested at nominal charges, and the initiative would be linked with the Swachh Bharat Mission, with support from health and women and child development departments.
