Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram‑1 Achieves India’s First Private Orbital Launch

On 18 July 2026, Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram‑1, the first privately developed Indian orbital rocket, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. The 22‑metre vehicle lifted off after a brief technical delay, completed three solid‑fuel stages and a liquid‑fuel fourth stage equipped with a 3D‑printed engine, and placed six payloads into a 450‑km low‑Earth orbit. The payloads included two CubeSats and four commercial or experimental satellites, with a total capacity of 350 kg.

The mission, named Aagaman, marks India’s entry into the exclusive club of nations with private orbital launch capability, joining the United States, China and New Zealand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the achievement as validation of the government’s 2020 space‑sector liberalisation and as an inspiration for the country’s youth. Skyroot, founded in 2018 by former ISRO engineers, has become India’s first space‑tech unicorn and highlights the rapid growth of the nation’s private space economy, now valued at over US$ 8 billion and projected to reach $40‑45 billion by 2030.