On the day India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla flew to space aboard the Ax-4 mission, Axiom Space announced a key partnership with Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace. The agreement aims to enhance access to low-Earth orbit (LEO) through joint efforts.
Axiom Space, based in Houston, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Skyroot. Axiom CEO Tejpaul Bhatia and Skyroot CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana signed the agreement to explore integrated launch and in-orbit services.
“This collaboration is rooted in our shared commitment to transform humanity’s presence in space,” said Bhatia. He praised Skyroot and noted its role in future space commercialisation, especially as Axiom builds the world’s first private space station.
Skyroot is preparing for the maiden launch of Vikram-1, its first orbital-class vehicle. The company made history in 2022 by launching Vikram-S, India’s first private suborbital rocket. It also became the first private firm to sign an MoU with ISRO.
“At Skyroot, our mission is to make space accessible, affordable, and reliable,” Chandana said. The partnership will support combined launch and orbital solutions, defining the future of space access and commerce.
Axiom’s Ax-4 mission includes astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary, and the US. The agreement with Skyroot outlines possible collaboration on launching research payloads, orbital data centre modules, and future missions to Axiom Station.
Both companies are keen to tap into India’s fast-growing private space sector. The deal also reflects the strengthening of ties between Indian and American private space industries as space shifts towards a commercial and multipolar landscape.
The partnership aims to serve both domestic and global markets, supporting the next era of space innovation and exploration.
Also Read: ‘India’s Flag Flies Again’: President Murmu, PM Modi Hail Shubhanshu Shukla’s Historic ISS Journey
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