Skyroot’s Vikram-I becomes first private Indian rocket to reach orbit from Indian soil

New Delhi, July 18. In a landmark achievement for India’s rapidly expanding private space sector, Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot Aerospace on July 18 successfully launched its Vikram-I rocket into orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, becoming the first private Indian company to conduct an orbital rocket launch from Indian soil.

The Vikram-I launch vehicle lifted off at 12:05:30 pm on July 18, marking a major milestone in India’s space programme and underscoring the success of the space sector reforms introduced by the government in 2020 to encourage private participation in space activities.

With the successful mission, Skyroot Aerospace became the first Indian private space company to place payloads into orbit from India, accomplishing the feat on its maiden orbital launch.

The four-stage Vikram-I launch vehicle carried multiple payloads, including two satellites – SCOPE and Grahaa – which were successfully injected into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The remaining payloads onboard the rocket’s upper stage are intended for conducting a series of in-orbit technology demonstration experiments.

The mission represents a significant step in the implementation of India’s new space policy, which has accelerated the growth of domestic space startups engaged in developing launch vehicles, satellites and space-based applications.

Skyroot Aerospace had earlier demonstrated its launch capabilities with the successful sub-orbital flight of the Vikram-S rocket from Sriharikota in November 2022. Building on that success, the company developed Vikram-I as a four-stage launch vehicle comprising three solid propulsion stages and a liquid-fuelled upper stage, designed to place small satellites into Low Earth Orbit.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) played a key role in supporting the mission by providing technical assistance, infrastructure and regulatory clearances.

ISRO made available its solid motor casting, testing and launch facilities at Sriharikota for the development of the vehicle. The first-stage solid motor was cast and qualified at SDSC, while the second-stage motor also underwent validation at the spaceport’s static test facility. The RAMAN-I liquid engine powering the upper stage was tested at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).

During the launch campaign, ISRO extended support for stage preparation, transportation, vehicle integration, trajectory analysis and launch operations, while its safety teams ensured round-the-clock oversight throughout the mission.

IN-SPACe, the country’s nodal agency for promoting and regulating private space activities, facilitated Skyroot’s access to ISRO facilities, provided technical consultancy, conducted mission readiness reviews and granted launch authorisation.

Congratulating Skyroot Aerospace on the successful maiden orbital mission, ISRO and IN-SPACe said the achievement marks a defining moment for India’s commercial space ecosystem and is expected to pave the way for more private launch ventures while enhancing the country’s competitiveness in the global space launch market.