For the first time in the world, a lab-grown diamond jewel has made it to space. Named the Cosmos Bloom Diamond, the jewel, created by Bengaluru start-up Cosmos Diamonds, travelled aboard Vikram-1, the country’s first privately built orbital launch vehicle.

The lotus-shaped jewel is handcrafted in gold and set with 16.9 carats of lab-grown diamonds, and “represents the coming together of India’s heritage, craftsmanship, scientific ambition, and technological innovation”, notes a statement from the start-up.

‘Like a diamond in the sky’

The idea reportedly originated during a casual conversation between Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and CEO, Skyroot Aerospace, and Sanjana, founder of Cosmos Diamonds, about the children’s nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, which led the duo to wonder whether they could actually place a diamond in space.

“The project was never just about sending a diamond into space. It became a celebration of what Indian innovation can achieve when technology, design, and culture come together. Skyroot is shaping India’s future in space, while we believe lab-grown diamonds represent the future of jewellery. It felt like a natural partnership between two companies building for tomorrow while remaining deeply rooted in India,” said Ms. Sanjana.

Multiple iterations

According to the start-up, the Cosmos Bloom Diamond underwent more than 100 design sketches and 11 production iterations over the course of a year before reaching its final form. Multiple metals and materials were tested to ensure the payload could withstand launch conditions. The final jewel incorporates lab-grown diamonds from India, precision-crafted gold components, custom aluminium elements, and a gold replica of rocket screws designed to securely hold the lotus during flight.

Following extensive technical validation, the payload received approvals from both Skyroot Aerospace and IN-SPACe, the Government of India’s agency enabling space activities.

Six payloads

The other payloads that successfully reached the orbit aboard Vikram-1 include SCOPE, which is Skyroot Aerospace’s in-house atmospheric and Earth observation satellite, SOLARAS, a 1U CubeSat developed by Indian space company Grahaa Space to study solar activity, Embrace, an in-orbit robotic arm demonstration by Cosmoserve Space designed to advance space debris capture technologies, uD3PP and mD3RN, which are in-orbit technology demonstration payloads developed by Germany-based DCubed, and an 18K gold micro-sculpture featuring a rocket carrying microscopic portraits of Indian space pioneers Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and Sir C.V. Raman — each smaller than a grain of rice.

Grahaa Space, yet another Bengaluru-based space tech company, on Wednesday (July 29) had announced that SOLARAS, its technology demonstration nanosatellite that reached the low earth orbit aboard Vikram-1, successfully transmitted telemetry signals confirming healthy spacecraft operation.

Forty-six years after India successfully launched its first experimental Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3), history is set to repeat itself as Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, prepares to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on July 18 (Saturday) at 11.30 a.m.

On July 18, 1980, India became the sixth member of an exclusive club of spacefaring nations when the SLV-3 was successfully launched from the same venue, placing the Rohini Satellite (RS-1) into orbit.

Developed by private space launch company Skyroot Aerospace, Vikram-1 is a seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure and powered by in-house developed propulsion systems, including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel rocket boosters.

Designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), its first test flight is targeting a 450-km orbit at a 60° inclination. Vikram-1 will carry six technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed and Skyroot’s own SCOPE, along with Cosmos Diamonds’ artwork “Cosmic Bloom”, and a micro-art piece.

Skyroot Aerospace said that the decks for the launch had been cleared with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) — the government agency to promote, permit, and oversee private-sector space activities — granting launch authorisation.

“We have done everything to test Vikram-1 on the ground. On July 18, we are eager to see how Vikram-1 performs in a real flight environment for the first time. This is our first test flight, and we will be getting valuable data from it. This will be foundational to Skyroot’s aspirations to establish launch cadence. We are excited to see this through,” said Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace.

Skyroot said all stages of Vikram-1 have been successfully integrated and stacked on the launch pad. Following this, the final integrated checks of the vehicle on the launch pad from Skyroot’s launch control centre have been completed, along with the interface checks with all telemetry ground stations and tracking radars.

Vikram-1’s flight sequence, from lift-off to orbit injection, will cover 14 phases, and the total duration of the flight will be 15.46 minutes.

A handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also travel to space on Vikram-1, along with hundreds of cards from well-wishers across the world.

“Among the payloads on Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 is something truly special — a handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the words, ‘Vande Mataram’. It travels to space alongside handwritten messages from our team, investors, policymakers, and well-wishers across the globe, making Mission Aagaman a celebration carried by many hands and shared by millions,” said Skyroot.

Forty-six years after India successfully launched its first experimental Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3), history is set to repeat itself as Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, prepares to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on July 18 (Saturday) at 11.30 a.m.

On July 18, 1980, India became the sixth member of an exclusive club of spacefaring nations when the SLV-3 was successfully launched from the same venue, placing the Rohini Satellite (RS-1) into orbit.

Developed by private space launch company Skyroot Aerospace, Vikram-1 is a seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure and powered by in-house developed propulsion systems, including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel rocket boosters.

Designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), its first test flight is targeting a 450-km orbit at a 60° inclination. Vikram-1 will carry six technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed and Skyroot’s own SCOPE, along with Cosmos Diamonds’ artwork “Cosmic Bloom”, and a micro-art piece.

Skyroot Aerospace said that the decks for the launch had been cleared with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) — the government agency to promote, permit, and oversee private-sector space activities — granting launch authorisation.

“We have done everything to test Vikram-1 on the ground. On July 18, we are eager to see how Vikram-1 performs in a real flight environment for the first time. This is our first test flight, and we will be getting valuable data from it. This will be foundational to Skyroot’s aspirations to establish launch cadence. We are excited to see this through,” said Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace.

Skyroot said all stages of Vikram-1 have been successfully integrated and stacked on the launch pad. Following this, the final integrated checks of the vehicle on the launch pad from Skyroot’s launch control centre have been completed, along with the interface checks with all telemetry ground stations and tracking radars.

Vikram-1’s flight sequence, from lift-off to orbit injection, will cover 14 phases, and the total duration of the flight will be 15.46 minutes.

A handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also travel to space on Vikram-1, along with hundreds of cards from well-wishers across the world.

“Among the payloads on Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 is something truly special — a handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the words, ‘Vande Mataram’. It travels to space alongside handwritten messages from our team, investors, policymakers, and well-wishers across the globe, making Mission Aagaman a celebration carried by many hands and shared by millions,” said Skyroot.