Skyroot launches India's first privately developed orbital rocket
On 18 July 2026 at 06:35 a.m. GMT, Skyroot Aerospace lifted off the Vikram‑1 vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The flight, designated “Mission Aagaman,” marked the first orbital launch of a rocket wholly designed and built by an Indian private firm. After a brief pre‑launch delay, the rocket successfully entered orbit, carrying a mix of experimental and commercial payloads from Indian and international organisations, including technology‑demonstration satellites.
Vikram‑1 stands approximately 22 metres tall and is configured with three solid‑fuel stages. An orbital adjustment module powered by a 3D‑printed liquid‑fuel engine provides final orbit insertion capability. The vehicle is rated to deliver up to 350 kg of payload to low‑Earth orbit. Skyroot described the test flight as a success and indicated that flight data will be used to validate propulsion, avionics, telemetry, guidance, navigation and control systems. The company plans several additional test missions before commencing routine commercial launch operations.
Founded in 2018 in Hyderabad, Skyroot has attracted international investment following India’s 2020 liberalisation of its space sector, which opened rocket development and launch services to private entities previously dominated by ISRO. Earlier in the year, Skyroot became the first Indian space‑sector startup to achieve a $1 billion valuation.
The launch follows Skyroot’s 2022 sub‑orbital Vikram‑S mission, the first privately developed Indian rocket to reach space. Competition in the small‑satellite launch market is intensifying, with established players such as SpaceX and listed company Rocket Lab USA also targeting the segment.
India’s broader policy objective is to expand its share of the global space economy from roughly $8 billion today to $44 billion by 2033. The successful private orbital launch underscores the country’s progress toward that target.