VIJAYAWADA: Indian aerospace startup RaudraNex Aerospace achieved a historic milestone on Wednesday with the launch of the STRATO-X1 mission. The mission lifted off from the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) Stadium aboard India’s first-ever Super Pressure Balloon platform.
The primary purpose of the mission was concept and operational validation, designed specifically to test system readiness and gather data for future aerospace applications. In addition to testing the platform, STRATO-X1 carried a unique payload named REPS Mk-I an experimental platform exploring air-breathing cold plasma propulsion.
Prakash Navadeep, co-founder of RaudraNex Space Technologies, clarified that the mission was not intended for full propulsion qualification.
Instead, it was strictly focused on validating various onboard systems under real, high-altitude flight conditions. “Initial observations indicated that the payload completed its planned flight profile and functioned in line with mission objectives,” Navadeep stated, adding that a detailed post-flight analysis is currently underway to assess overall performance.