Imagine creating an artwork so extraordinary that India’s first private rocket company chooses to send it into space! That’s exactly what has happened to micro sculptor Ajay Kumar Mattewada. His miniature sculpture, meticulously crafted inside the eye of a needle, is set to be launched aboard Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 rocket. Here’s everything you need to know about this historic feat.
Meet Ajay Kumar Mattewada, The First Indian To Send Artwork Into Space
Micro sculptor Ajay Kumar Mattewada is set to become the first Indian artist whose micro artwork will travel into space. According to Telangana Today, his micro artwork is among the payloads aboard Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 rocket for Mission Agaman. The rocket is scheduled to launch during the window between July 12 and August 4.
It is worth noting that Ajay Kumar Mattewada’s work is set to become only the third artwork in history to travel beyond Earth. The first was the Moon Museum in 1969, a tiny ceramic artwork that flew aboard the Apollo 12 mission.
The second was Fallen Astronaut, a small aluminium sculpture placed on the Moon during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971. Ajay Kumar’s creation will now join this exclusive list of artworks that have ventured beyond our planet, making it India’s first!
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Here’s All You Need To Know About This Artwork
Ajay Kumar Mattewada made micro-sculptures of India’s legendary scientists, Dr CV Raman, Dr Vikram Sarabhai, and Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in the eye of a sewing needle with extreme precision. According to reports, each sculpture measures approximately 800 microns (0.8 millimetres) in height. It has been mounted inside a miniature rocket model made of 18-karat gold, specially designed for spaceflight.
The artist began the project in 2023 and completed it in February 2026. It took him nearly 140 hours to create the sculptures. The artwork has been created using space-compatible materials such as stainless steel, 24-karat gold, pure silver, ceramic powder, and carbon fibre particles.
The artist handed over his work to Skyroot Aerospace more than a month ago. The team then put it through a series of engineering tests, including vibration, heat and other environmental checks. Once it cleared the tests, the artwork was placed inside a specially designed protective payload housing and integrated into the Vikram-1 rocket.
We can’t wait to see this remarkable artwork soar into space!
Cover Image Courtesy: Instagram/ajaymicrosculptures
FAQs
Who is Ajay Kumar Mattewada?
Ajay Kumar Mattewada is a micro sculptor from Telangana known for creating intricate miniature sculptures, including artworks carved inside the eye of a needle.