India scripts new space milestone as private orbital rocket Vikram-1 lifts off

Mangalore Today News Network

Sriharikota, Jul 18, 2026: India on Saturday marked a major milestone in its space journey as Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace launched Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital-class launch vehicle, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota under Mission Aagaman.

The launch, which lifted off from the first launch pad at 12:05 pm, is the first attempt by an Indian private company to place a rocket into orbit from Indian soil, signalling the country’s entry into the global commercial launch market.

The rocket, originally scheduled for launch at 11.30 am, underwent a brief hold just minutes before lift-off and eventually blasted off at 12.05 pm.

#WATCH | Andhra Pradesh: India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1, launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota

Built by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, Vikram-1 is powered by three solid-fuel stages and a liquid orbital adjustment… pic.twitter.com/QQC9CPjcxH

— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2026

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan and former ISRO chief S. Somanath watched the Vikram-1 lift-off from Sriharikota. Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh was also present at the launch.

‘Historic New Frontier In India’s Space Journey’

After the successful launch, Skyroot Aerospace wrote on X, “Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 has reached orbit. India’s first privately developed orbital rocket has completed its final burn and injected its payloads into a ~450 km orbit, making India the third country in the world with private orbital launch capability. History is made."

Calling the mission a defining moment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the launch represented “a historic new frontier for India’s space journey."

“A historic new frontier for India’s space journey! At 11.30 am today, Skyroot Aerospace will undertake the maiden orbital launch of Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed launch vehicle," Modi said in a post on X ahead of the launch.

The prime minister noted that the four-stage rocket is designed to provide rapid and on-demand launch services.

“This mission highlights the talent, determination and entrepreneurial spirit of India’s youth and it shows how Indian space sector reforms are unlocking new opportunities for innovation and enterprise," he said.

“My best wishes to the entire Skyroot Aerospace team for a successful launch. May Vikram-1 soar high, create history and inspire a generation of innovators," Modi added, urging people to follow the mission using #IndiaWithVikram1.

Mission Aagaman

Mission Aagaman is Skyroot Aerospace’s second mission after the successful launch of Vikram-S in November 2022, which became the first privately built rocket to reach space from Indian soil.

Ahead of Saturday’s launch, the company had completed the integration and stacking of all stages of Vikram-1 on the launch pad, followed by final vehicle checks, telemetry interface verification and radar tracking tests.

Skyroot said all necessary airspace and maritime clearances had also been secured for the launch.

A Rocket Packed With Indigenous Technology

Standing as tall as a seven-storey building, Vikram-1 is a multi-stage orbital launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure and powered by propulsion systems developed in-house, including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid rocket boosters.

The rocket has been designed to carry satellites weighing up to 350 kilograms to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Its maiden test flight is targeting an orbit of 450 km at a 60-degree inclination.

According to the company, Vikram-1 is also India’s first orbital launch vehicle built entirely with an all-carbon composite structure.

It features the country’s longest monolithic carbon composite rocket stage, a fully 3D-printed liquid engine powering its Orbital Adjustment Module, and an ultra-low-shock pneumatic stage and payload separation system.

Payloads Onboard

The maiden mission is carrying technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed and Skyroot’s own SCOPE platform.

Also onboard are Cosmos Diamonds’ “Cosmic Bloom", a lab-grown diamond being flown as an artistic payload, and a micro-art piece featuring miniature sculptures of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, Sir C.V. Raman and Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam housed inside a tiny gold rocket.

Mission Aagaman is also carrying a card bearing Prime Minister Modi’s message “Vandee Matram" along with greetings from supporters across the world.

In another symbolic gesture, the rocket carries the signatures of the engineers, technicians and team members involved in designing, building and preparing Vikram-1, with the company describing it as a tribute to the people behind the mission.

Among the payloads is the EMBRACE mission, carrying robotic arm technology intended for future space debris removal demonstrations.

‘Foundational’ Flight

Skyroot co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana said the company had completed every possible ground test before the maiden flight.

“We have done everything that could be done to test Vikram-1 on ground. This is our first test flight, and we will be getting valuable data from it. This will be foundational to Skyroot’s aspirations of establishing launch cadence. We are excited to see this through," Chandana said.

Meanwhile, Skyroot co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Naga Bharath Daka said, “The test flight is the first step towards creating a reliable, on-demand launch company for the world from India."