Skyroot Aerospace is set to create history with the launch of Vikram-1 on July 18, a mission that could make it the first Indian private company to successfully place satellites into orbit. The launch marks a defining moment for India’s fast-growing private space industry, following the government’s decision to open the space sector to private players.
Vikram-1 is a three-stage, all-solid-fuel launch vehicle designed to carry small satellites to low Earth orbit. The rocket is capable of placing payloads of up to 480 kg into low Earth orbit and is intended to offer cost-effective launch services for commercial and institutional customers.
The mission will carry multiple customer payloads, demonstrating Skyroot’s complete launch capabilities—from rocket design and manufacturing to mission execution. A successful flight would position Skyroot among a select group of private companies worldwide capable of independently launching satellites into orbit.
Founded in 2018 by former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, Skyroot has emerged as one of India’s leading space startups. The company previously demonstrated its technology with the Vikram-S suborbital mission in 2022, becoming the first Indian private firm to launch a rocket into space.
If Vikram-1 reaches orbit successfully, it will mark a landmark achievement for India’s commercial space ecosystem, paving the way for more private launch missions and strengthening the country’s role in the global space economy.
