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Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 Rocket Reaches Orbit on First Attempt
Skyroot Aerospace lifted off Vikram-1 from Sriharikota on Saturday, placing payloads into a 450 km orbit after a 35-minute delay. The four-stage vehicle marked India's first successful private orbital launch. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the team to offer congratulations.
Jul 18, 3:33 AM·1m read8 sources
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The Japan TimesAudio version
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Skyroot Aerospace launched Vikram-1 from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Saturday, completing India's first private orbital-class flight. The seven-storey rocket lifted off at 12:05 pm after a planned hold and navigation checks, reached a 450 km orbit at 60 degrees inclination, and performed its final burn to deploy four payloads.
The mission, named Aagaman, carried Skyroot's SCOPE payload, Grahaa Space's SOLARAS S3 satellite, DCUBED's technology demonstrator, and Cosmoserve Space's Embrace robotic arm.
It also included a floral artwork titled Cosmic Bloom, an 18-karat gold micro-rocket with microscopic sculptures of C.V. Raman, Vikram Sarabhai and A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and a handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi bearing the message Vande Mataram.
Prime Minister Modi telephoned Skyroot Aerospace after orbital insertion and described the flight as a historic new frontier that reflected India's talent and the effects of space-sector reforms. He added that the four-stage rocket was designed for rapid, on-demand launch services and that the mission showed how reforms were unlocking opportunities for innovation.
Vikram-1 mission director called the outcome a grand success and noted it was the first time a rocket had reached orbit successfully on its initial attempt.
Skyroot stated that the flight made India the third country with private orbital launch capability. Vikram-1 is the company's second mission after the 2022 Vikram-S suborbital flight. The all-carbon-composite vehicle uses 3D-printed engines and is sized for up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit.
Skyroot co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana said the company intends to offer dedicated launches for small satellites on a schedule similar to a cab service. India's space startup count rose from one in 2014 to more than 400 in 2026 after the Indian Space Policy 2023 opened the sector to private firms, according to government and IN-SPACe statements.
