Overview
- Skyroot Aerospace accepted microscopic sculptures by Ajay Kumar Mattewada as part of the Vikram‑1 Mission Agaman payload, with a launch window set from July 12 to August 4, 2026.
- Each figure of C.V. Raman, Vikram Sarabhai and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam measures about 800 microns and was hand‑carved inside the eye of a sewing needle using space‑compatible materials.
- Mattewada said he spent roughly 140 hours from 2023 to February 2026 creating the pieces, which were mounted in an 18‑karat gold miniature rocket and handed to Skyroot about six weeks before publication.
- The artwork passed vibration, thermal and environmental qualification tests and was integrated into a specially designed protective payload housing for the maiden Vikram‑1 flight.
- The project ties a long tradition of space art to India’s growing private launch sector and could mark the first time an Indian artwork travels beyond Earth, following earlier space art efforts such as the Moon Museum and Fallen Astronaut.