Warangal Artist Ajay Kumar Mattewada Sends Micro-Sculptures Into Space On Vikram-1

Miniature sculptures of three prominent Indian scientists, crafted by Warangal-based micro-artist Ajay Kumar Mattewada, have been launched into space aboard Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket. The launch took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota as part of the space startup's Mission Agaman. With this achievement, Mattewada has become the first Indian micro-artist to successfully send his artwork into space.

The micro-sculptures depict three of India's most celebrated scientific figures. They feature Nobel laureate Dr. C.V. Raman, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, who is widely regarded as the father of the Indian space industry and after whom the launch rocket was named, and former President and rocket scientist Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Each of the three sculptures measures a mere 800 microns, which is equivalent to 0.8 millimetres, in height. Because of their incredibly small size, a powerful lens is required to view the details of the figures.

Mattewada began working on the challenging project in 2023. He dedicated nearly 140 hours of precision work to the pieces before finally completing them in February this year.

Before making the journey into space, the sculptures were mounted inside a specially designed 18-carat gold miniature rocket model. The artwork then had to undergo rigorous testing to ensure it could survive the launch. Skyroot Aerospace subjected the piece to vibration, heat, and other engineering tests. After successfully passing all evaluations, the miniature rocket was integrated into the Vikram-1 payload.

Mattewada watched the historic launch in person at Sriharikota alongside his family members. He stated that the event marked the culmination of four decades of dedication to the art of micro-sculpture, calling it the proudest achievement of his life.

He noted that the mission served as a moment of pride for Indian art, science, Telangana, and his home city of Warangal. Mattewada also expressed his gratitude to Skyroot Aerospace co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana, along with co-founders Naga Bharath Daka, Nikhil Madduri, and C.V.S. Kiran for the opportunity.