India's Skyroot launches Vikram-1, first private orbital rocket

On 18 July 2026, Hyderabad‑based Skyroot Aerospace successfully lifted off its three‑stage, 22‑metre Vikram‑1 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. After a brief 35‑minute delay caused by a launch‑sequence glitch, the vehicle placed its payloads into a 450‑km low‑Earth orbit, marking India’s first privately developed orbital launch. The mission, named “Mission Aagaman”, carried two cubesats and a mix of experimental items – including robotic‑arm debris‑removal tools, a lab‑grown diamond, an 18‑carat gold sculpture, and a handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The launch makes India the third country, after the United States and China, to achieve orbital launch capability through a private company. Indian leaders including the Prime Minister, the Vice President, and senior ministers publicly congratulated Skyroot, citing the achievement as a boost to the nation’s space economy and a validation of recent sector reforms. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan highlighted the event as a milestone for the growing private space ecosystem and outlined plans for several more launches this fiscal year. The successful flight positions Skyroot to offer commercial small‑satellite launch services and underscores India’s expanding role in the global space market.