New Delhi: India marked a historic milestone in its space journey on Saturday after Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital rocket, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The mission, named “Mission Aagaman”, lifted off after a brief delay and successfully placed multiple customer and technology demonstration payloads into a 450-km low-Earth orbit around 15 minutes after launch, making it India’s first successful private orbital launch.
The successful mission marks a major breakthrough for India’s rapidly expanding private space sector, which was opened to private participation following reforms introduced in 2020. With the achievement, India has become only the third country where a private company has independently demonstrated orbital launch capability.
Standing about 22 metres tall, Vikram-1 is a three-stage launch vehicle incorporating advanced technologies, including a 3D-printed engine, designed to offer cost-effective and responsive access to space for small satellite missions. The rocket carried a mix of Indian and international payloads, highlighting the growing commercial potential of India’s private launch ecosystem.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Skyroot Aerospace team, describing the successful launch as a significant milestone in India’s space ambitions and a testament to the country’s growing innovation ecosystem.
The mission builds on Skyroot’s earlier achievement in 2022, when it launched Vikram-S, India’s first privately built sub-orbital rocket. Saturday’s success represents the company’s transition from technology demonstration to full-fledged orbital launch capability.
The achievement is expected to strengthen India’s position in the global commercial launch market as the country seeks to significantly expand its share of the global space economy over the coming decade.
