Space regulator authorises India's first private rocket Vikram-S launch on Nov 18
New Delhi, Nov 16: India's space regulator on Wednesday authorised the launch of first private sector rocket Vikram-S, a suborbital vehicle developed by Skyroot Aerospace.
"The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) authorises maiden launch by a private Indian space start-up Skyroot Aerospace to fly Vikram-S suborbital vehicle on November 18, 2022 between 11 am and 12 pm from sounding rocket complex, Satish Dhawan Space Centre of ISRO," IN-SPACe, the space regulator, said.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh will be present at Sriharikota to witness the maiden launch of the privately-developed rocket.
Singh said the launch of Vikram-S will be a major milestone in the journey of ISRO, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unlocked the space sector in India two years ago for private participation.
He said Skyroot Aerospace has developed the Vikram-S, a single stage spin stabilised solid propellant rocket with mass of approximately 550 kilograms.
He said the rocket goes to the max altitude of 101 kilometres and splashes into the sea and the overall duration of launch is 300 seconds only.
Singh said that Skyroot was the first startup to sign a MoU with ISRO for launching its rockets.
The Union minister said space sector reforms have unleashed innovative potential of start-ups and within a short span of time, about 102 start-ups were working in cutting-edge areas of space debris management, nano-satellite, launch vehicle, ground systems, and research.
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BJP's main agenda is to keep minorities in fear, alleges Stalin
Chennai (PTI): DMK President M K Stalin has alleged that the BJP's main agenda is to keep the minorities in fear, and everyone is aware of what is happening in the states governed by the saffron party.
Stalin further alleged that Muslims continued to be subjected to attacks.
"Now, a situation has arisen where even Christmas could not be celebrated peacefully. Christians are being targeted. The entire country is a witness to what is happening in Manipur. The BJP's plan of action is that a state of insecurity for minorities should spread like a wildfire across the country," he told PTI in an interview.
That was why it first enacted the CAA, and the next was an amendment to the Waqf law, and now it is "desperate" to amend the FCRA, he alleged, and lashed out at AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami.
"Palaniswami, who supports all these three amendments and has formed an alliance with the BJP, does not have any concern for the welfare of minorities. However, the DMK is always firm in its commitment to ensure that India must always be a secular state; that people belonging to all religions must be equally respected and that the Constitutional safeguards conferred on minorities must be upheld. If any of these is threatened, the DMK will be the first party to raise its voice against it," he said.
Denying that the BJP made the minorities feel insecure, BJP state vice president M Chakravarthy said the chief minister was making the allegation due to the "fear that the Christian and Dalit votes would go to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam led by actor-politician Vijay."
He was depicting the BJP as a bogeyman in an attempt to create unnecessary apprehension among the minorities, the BJP leader told PTI.
On FCRA, Chakravarthy asked, "What's wrong with ensuring accountability in the use of funds?"
