Former ISRO Chairman Joins Skyroot Aerospace as Chief Technical Advisor

Skyroot Aerospace has appointed Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as its chief technical advisor. The appointment comes as the Hyderabad-based space startup prepares for the flight of Vikram-1, its maiden orbital-class launch vehicle.

Somanath, known for leading the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, will provide technical guidance in a non-exclusive, honorary capacity. His advisory role aims to support Skyroot’s upcoming orbital launch and contribute to India’s growing private space sector.

Regardless, the startup expressed that the advisory position is non-exclusive, allowing Somanath to continue his other professional commitments.

“Dr Somanath’s guidance will boost our technical firepower,” Skyroot said in its post on X, as it finalises Vikram-1, a 23-metre rocket built with carbon composites and a liquid-engine powered Orbital Adjustment Module. This rocket can also precisely manoeuvre in the vacuum for the last-mile delivery of satellites.

Skyroot previously made history in 2022 with Vikram-S, India’s first private rocket to reach space, from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Vikram-1 builds on that foundation and is designed for last-mile satellite delivery in orbit.

This month, Skyroot also announced signing an MoU with Axiom Space, the company that just carried ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS). This aimed to explore opportunities for collaboration that advance space exploration and enhance access to low Earth orbit (LEO).

Somanath led ISRO between January 2022 and January 2025, a period that saw the launch of primary missions, including Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1 (India’s first solar mission), and the successful trials of the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV-LEX). He also played a key role in developing India’s most powerful rocket, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).

Skyroot, founded in 2018, has over 400 employees and, in 2023, raised $27.5 million in preparation for its launch into the global satellite market. Its funding then stood at $95 million, which helped it break out with multiple launches.