Skyroot Aerospace Partners with Brazil’s Concert Technologies to Develop New Orbital Launch Vehicle

Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Brazil’s Concert Technologies S.A. to explore the joint development of a new orbital rocket capable of carrying more than 100 kg of satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO). The proposed collaboration brings together launch vehicle technologies developed in India and Brazil to address the growing international market for small satellite launches.

The agreement was signed on October 7, 2026, during the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2026) in Antalya, Türkiye. It establishes a two-year framework for evaluating the technical and commercial feasibility of developing a launch vehicle using capabilities associated with Brazil’s Microlançador Brasileiro (MLBR) programme and Skyroot’s Vikram rocket family.

The proposed vehicle would occupy a payload category between Brazil’s MLBR, designed to carry up to 40 kg into low Earth orbit, and the larger launch vehicles being developed by Skyroot Aerospace.

The initiative represents a new opportunity for India’s private space industry to participate in international rocket development, combining indigenous launch technologies with complementary expertise from an emerging spacefaring partner.

India and Brazil Explore Joint Development of a Small Satellite Launcher

The agreement establishes a framework for Skyroot Aerospace and Concert Technologies to evaluate the development of a launch vehicle intended for small satellite missions.

The proposed rocket would have the capacity to place payloads exceeding 100 kg into low Earth orbit, creating a potential launch option for customers whose satellite requirements fall between existing micro-launchers and larger commercial rockets.

The collaboration will focus on examining how technologies developed by the two companies can be combined into a commercially viable launch system. Engineering considerations will include vehicle architecture, technical compatibility, development requirements and potential market applications.

According to the reported terms, the MoU will remain in effect for two years. During this period, the companies intend to refine the technical concept, examine commercial arrangements and establish the framework needed for further development. Decisions regarding investment, production responsibilities, technology supply and commercial operations will follow the initial evaluation process.

The partnership nevertheless provides a structured opportunity for both companies to examine a launch vehicle configuration suited to the evolving requirements of the global small satellite industry.

Proposed Rocket Bridges Brazilian MLBR and India’s Vikram Launch Vehicles

The new launch vehicle concept is intended to occupy an intermediate position between two existing rocket development programmes.

Brazil’s Microlançador Brasileiro programme is developing a small orbital launcher designed to transport payloads of up to 40 kg into low Earth orbit. The programme aims to strengthen Brazil’s domestic launch capabilities and support the development of national expertise in orbital transportation. Skyroot Aerospace, headquartered in Hyderabad, has developed the Vikram family of rockets to provide commercial launch services for small satellites.

The Indian company’s launch vehicle technologies cover higher payload categories than the Brazilian micro-launcher, creating opportunities to evaluate an intermediate rocket configuration.A launch vehicle carrying more than 100 kg could support missions involving individual small satellites or combinations of smaller spacecraft. Such payloads may serve Earth observation, communication, scientific research and technology demonstration applications.

The precise payload capacity, rocket dimensions, propulsion architecture and number of stages remain undefined in the publicly available details of the agreement.

The companies will need to examine these engineering parameters before establishing a final vehicle design.

Skyroot Brings Indigenous Rocket Engineering Capabilities

Skyroot Aerospace has emerged as one of India’s prominent private launch vehicle developers, building technologies intended to reduce launch costs and expand commercial access to space.

Founded by former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, the Hyderabad-based company has developed propulsion systems, launch vehicle structures and supporting technologies for its Vikram rocket programme.

Skyroot achieved an important milestone in November 2022 with the launch of Vikram-S, India’s first privately developed rocket to undertake a suborbital spaceflight. The mission demonstrated several technologies associated with private-sector launch vehicle development.

The company subsequently advanced its orbital launch capabilities through the Vikram series, incorporating indigenous propulsion systems, lightweight structures and modern manufacturing techniques.

Its engineering activities include solid rocket propulsion, liquid propulsion technologies and the development of rocket components using additive manufacturing.

The experience accumulated through these programmes provides Skyroot with a technical foundation for exploring international launch vehicle partnerships.

The proposed collaboration with Concert Technologies could allow the company to examine how its propulsion and vehicle engineering expertise can complement technologies developed within Brazil’s MLBR programme.

Brazil’s MLBR Programme Develops Domestic Orbital Launch Technology

The Microlançador Brasileiro programme forms part of Brazil’s efforts to develop indigenous capabilities for placing small satellites into orbit.

The programme involves Brazilian aerospace companies working on launch vehicle technologies, propulsion systems and associated engineering infrastructure.

Concert Technologies participates in the MLBR initiative alongside other Brazilian companies, including Fibraforte and BIZU Space.

The project receives support through Brazil’s national science and technology funding framework, including financing associated with Finep and the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development.

The Brazilian Space Agency provides technical oversight, connecting the programme with Brazil’s wider national space development objectives.

Through MLBR, Brazilian industry is working to acquire capabilities in small launch vehicle development and associated aerospace technologies.

The proposed partnership with Skyroot offers an opportunity to evaluate these technologies in a launch vehicle intended for a higher payload category.

For Brazil, the collaboration could strengthen engagement with India’s growing private space industry while supporting the development of commercially relevant launch technologies.

Equatorial Satellite Launches Form an Important Market Opportunity

One of the stated objectives of the proposed India–Brazil launch vehicle collaboration is to address international demand for satellite launches, particularly missions involving equatorial orbits.

Equatorial launches can benefit from the Earth’s rotation, which provides additional eastward velocity to rockets launched near the equator.

This rotational assistance can improve launch performance for suitable orbital missions, allowing rockets to make more efficient use of their propulsion capabilities.

Brazil’s geographical location offers advantages for certain eastward launch trajectories. The country has long recognised these characteristics in the development of its space infrastructure.

The Alcântara Launch Centre in Maranhão is located close to the equator and forms an important part of Brazil’s existing launch infrastructure.

However, the October 2026 agreement does not identify Alcântara or any other location as the launch site for the proposed rocket. Launch arrangements remain subject to future technical, commercial and regulatory decisions.

The collaboration’s initial focus is on assessing the rocket concept and its potential application within the international satellite launch market.

Demand for Dedicated Small Satellite Launch Services

Small satellites have become an increasingly important part of the global space industry because they enable a wide range of missions using spacecraft that are generally smaller and less expensive than traditional large satellites.

Commercial organisations, research institutions and government agencies use small satellites for Earth observation, environmental monitoring, communications, scientific experiments and technology validation.

Many small satellites reach orbit as secondary payloads aboard larger rockets. This approach can reduce launch costs, but customers may have limited control over launch schedules and orbital destinations.

Dedicated small launch vehicles offer an alternative by providing services designed around the requirements of individual customers or smaller groups of satellites.

Such missions may allow greater flexibility in selecting launch dates, payload configurations and suitable orbital parameters.

A rocket capable of carrying more than 100 kg could serve part of this market, particularly missions that do not require the payload capacity of larger launch systems.

Commercial competitiveness will depend on factors including launch reliability, operating costs, manufacturing efficiency and the ability to meet customer schedules.

By exploring an intermediate-capacity launch vehicle, Skyroot and Concert Technologies are examining a potential addition to the range of services available within the international launch industry.

Two-Year Agreement to Define Technical and Commercial Cooperation

The MoU provides a two-year period for Skyroot Aerospace and Concert Technologies to examine the technical and commercial aspects of the proposed rocket.

During this stage, the companies intend to evaluate how their respective technologies can work together and identify the engineering requirements associated with a new launch vehicle.

The process will also involve examining potential business arrangements, development responsibilities and the commercial opportunities associated with future launch services.

According to Brazilian reporting, decisions regarding investment, manufacturing, technology supply and commercialisation will be established after the current evaluation phase.

This distinction is important because developing a new orbital rocket requires extensive engineering work, component qualification, integrated testing and regulatory approvals.

A viable launch programme must also establish reliable propulsion systems, flight-control architecture, structural integrity and ground support infrastructure.

The two companies have not announced a detailed development schedule, prototype completion date or inaugural launch target for the proposed vehicle.

The October agreement therefore marks the beginning of a structured exploration of joint rocket development rather than the launch of a fully funded manufacturing programme.

India–Brazil Space Cooperation Expands into Private Industry

India and Brazil have maintained cooperation in space-related activities for more than two decades, with engagement involving their respective space agencies and scientific institutions.

India’s space programme has developed extensive experience in satellite manufacturing, orbital launch systems and space applications, while Brazil has pursued capabilities in launch infrastructure, satellite technology and aerospace engineering.

The emergence of private space companies is creating additional opportunities for cooperation beyond traditional government-led programmes.

Skyroot Aerospace and Concert Technologies represent this expanding commercial dimension, where companies from different countries can explore joint technology development and international market opportunities.

The proposed launcher would bring together expertise from two countries seeking greater participation in the commercial space economy.

Such collaborations can support technical exchanges, specialised industrial partnerships and the development of new commercial relationships within the aerospace sector.

They also reflect the increasingly international character of private space manufacturing, where companies evaluate cooperation to address specialised launch requirements.

Skyroot’s International Partnership Strengthens India’s Private Space Industry

The agreement comes as India’s private space sector expands its participation in satellite manufacturing, launch vehicles, propulsion systems and other aerospace technologies.

Government reforms have created additional opportunities for private companies to develop space infrastructure and provide commercial services.

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) plays a central role in enabling and regulating non-government participation in India’s space activities.

Within this environment, companies such as Skyroot are working to establish indigenous launch capabilities while pursuing opportunities in international markets.

The partnership with Concert Technologies represents an additional dimension of this growth by exploring the possibility of jointly developing a launch vehicle with an overseas aerospace company.

It also demonstrates how technologies developed by Indian startups can become part of international industrial discussions involving specialised space transportation systems.

Although the proposed rocket remains at the evaluation stage, the agreement broadens the scope of Skyroot’s commercial and technical engagement beyond the Indian market.

India and Brazil Take Another Step Towards International Space Collaboration

The October 7 agreement between Skyroot Aerospace and Concert Technologies establishes a new framework for cooperation between the Indian and Brazilian private space industries.

By examining a launch vehicle capable of carrying more than 100 kg into low Earth orbit, the companies are seeking to address a specialised segment of the global satellite launch market.

The initiative combines technologies associated with Brazil’s MLBR programme and India’s Vikram rocket family while providing two years to refine the technical and commercial concept.

The partnership also builds on the broader history of space cooperation between India and Brazil, extending that relationship into private-sector launch vehicle development.

For India’s growing space industry, the agreement reflects the increasing international relevance of indigenous rocket engineering capabilities. It marks another step in the emergence of Indian private aerospace companies as potential partners in the development of commercial launch systems for global satellite customers.

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References

1. CNN Brasil — October 8, 2026. Brasil e Índia assinam acordo para desenvolver foguete.
   https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/ciencia/brasil-e-india-assinam-acordo-para-desenvolver-foguete/
2. AERO IN — October 7, 2026. Brasil e Índia avançam em parceria para codesenvolvimento de veículo lançador de satélites com capacidade de 100 kg.
   https://aeroin.net/brasil-e-india-avancam-em-parceria-para-codesenvolvimento-de-veiculo-lancador-de-satelites-com-capacidade-de-100-kg/
3. Brazilian Space Agency — October 5, 2026. AEB participa do Congresso Internacional de Astronáutica na Turquia.
   https://www.gov.br/aeb/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/aeb-participa-do-congresso-internacional-de-astronautica-na-turquia
4. International Astronautical Congress — October 5–9, 2026. 77th International Astronautical Congress, Antalya, Türkiye.
   https://iac2026.org/
5. Skyroot Aerospace — Official Website. Vikram launch vehicle programme and indigenous propulsion technologies.
   https://skyroot.in/

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