India and Brazil Join Hands to Develop Satellite Launch Vehicle

India and Brazil are expanding their space cooperation, with companies from the two countries agreeing to explore the joint development of a satellite launch vehicle capable of carrying payloads of at least 100 kg into low Earth orbit.

The agreement was formalised through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in October between India's Skyroot Aerospace and Concert Technologies, a member of Brazil's Micro Launcher Program consortium, Brasil 247 reported.

The MoU was signed by Concert Space CEO Rafael Mordente during the International Astronautical Congress 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye. Brazilian Senator and astronaut Marcos Pontes and Brazilian Space Agency President Marco Antonio Chamon attended the ceremony.

PROPOSED VEHICLE TO BRIDGE LAUNCH CAPACITY GAP

The proposed vehicle is expected to fill the gap between Brazil's Micro Launcher Program, which is designed to carry payloads of up to 40 kg, and the larger Vikram rocket family developed by Skyroot.

The partnership will examine the development of a more capable launch system, including the possibility of conducting launches from equatorial locations.

Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, founded in 2018, is among the prominent private companies in India's growing space sector. In 2022, it became the first Indian private company to launch a rocket into space with its Vikram-S mission. Its subsequent orbital launch achievement with Vikram-1 in July 2026 marked another milestone for India's private space industry.

BRAZIL SEEKS PRIVATE SMALL-SATELLITE LAUNCH CAPABILITY

The Brazilian consortium is working towards developing the country's first privately led small-satellite launch vehicle. It brings together companies with expertise in propulsion, navigation and control systems.

Under the two-year MoU, the Indian and Brazilian partners will assess technical requirements, commercial prospects and possible cooperation in satellite systems and low Earth orbit constellations.

The agreement provides a framework for exploring the collaboration. Separate agreements will be needed to finalise investments, equipment supplies and commercialisation.

PARTNERSHIP BUILDS ON TWO DECADES OF SPACE COOPERATION

The latest initiative builds on more than two decades of space cooperation between India and Brazil. One of the major milestones in this partnership was the launch of Brazil's Amazônia-1 satellite using India's launch infrastructure.

The proposed joint launch vehicle could expand opportunities for both countries in the small-satellite market, while strengthening cooperation between their private aerospace industries.

The agreement also reflects India's growing engagement with international partners in advanced technology and its expanding role in the global commercial space sector.

With inputs from ANI