Space

India's First Private Orbital Rocket Reaches Space — Skyroot's Vikram-1 Makes History

Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1, India's first privately built orbital rocket, from Sriharikota on July 18, 2026 — a defining milestone for the country's private space sector and a signal that commercial launch competition is heating up worldwide.

• Vikram-1 is a four-stage, small-lift launch vehicle standing 24 meters tall, capable of delivering up to 350 kilograms of payload to low Earth orbit. Its first three stages use solid propellant, and the fourth uses a liquid-fueled engine for precise orbital insertion.
• The mission, named Mission Aagaman, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre's First Launch Pad at 11:30 AM IST. Payloads included scientific instruments such as a robotic arm designed for space debris removal — a demonstration of India's growing in-space servicing capability.
• India becomes only the fourth nation — after the United States, China, and Russia — to have a private company independently reach orbit with an indigenous launch vehicle, placing Skyroot alongside Rocket Lab, SpaceX, and Astra in the commercial small-launch market.