Skyroot to launch Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital rocket, on July 18
Skyroot Aerospace has scheduled the launch of Vikram-1, described as India's first privately developed orbital rocket, with a launch window opening July 18 and extending through August 4
The final liftoff date depends on remaining assembly and testing milestones, weather, and range clearance from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe)
Vikram-1 is a four-stage launch vehicle using solid propulsion for the lower three stages and a liquid-propellant kick stage, capable of carrying payloads of up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit
The test flight, named "Aagaman" by the company, carries cubesats and hosted payloads from domestic and international customers
Skyroot has raised funding including a recent round backed by GIC and Sherpalo Ventures, reportedly reaching a valuation of about $1 billion
IN-SPACe and India's Private Space Sector Framework
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) was established in June 2020 as a single-window, independent nodal agency functioning as an autonomous body under the Department of Space. It promotes, authorises, and supervises space activities of non-governmental entities (NGEs), marking the shift from ISRO being the sole space actor to an ecosystem where private firms can build and operate their own launch vehicles and satellites.
Key Details
- Established: June 2020, under the Department of Space
- Functions: single-window clearance, authorisation, and supervision for private space activities; also facilitates access to ISRO facilities and expertise for private players
- Distinct from NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the ISRO commercial arm that markets ISRO-developed technology and launch services
- Vikram-1's launch requires range clearance/authorisation from IN-SPACe, illustrating its regulatory gatekeeper role
Vikram-1's launch is a direct outcome of the 2020 space sector reforms; without IN-SPACe's authorisation and access framework, a private company could not legally attempt an orbital launch from Indian soil.
From Suborbital to Orbital — Skyroot's Vikram Rocket Family
Skyroot, founded in 2018 by former ISRO engineers Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, first proved its technology with Vikram-S, India's first privately developed rocket to reach space, launched on 18 November 2022 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, under Mission Prarambh. Vikram-S was a single-stage solid-fuel suborbital rocket that reached a peak altitude of 88.8 km. Vikram-1 is the orbital-class successor.
Key Details
- Vikram-S (2022): single-stage, solid-fuel, suborbital; peak altitude 88.8 km, max speed Mach 5.07
- Vikram-1 (2026): four-stage vehicle (three solid stages + a liquid-propellant kick stage), designed for orbital insertion, up to 350 kg payload to LEO
- Both missions launched/authorised via Sriharikota range infrastructure with IN-SPACe clearance
- Comparable private Indian orbital efforts include Agnikul Cosmos's Agnibaan (semi-cryogenic, 3D-printed engine), reflecting a broader private launch vehicle ecosystem
The progression from a suborbital technology demonstrator (Vikram-S, 2022) to an orbital-class vehicle (Vikram-1, 2026) in under four years marks the maturing of India's private launch industry, a key indicator for questions on India's space economy and NewSpace policy.
Low Earth Orbit and Orbital Launch Vehicle Basics
An orbital launch vehicle must impart sufficient velocity (roughly 7.8 km/s at typical LEO altitudes) to a payload so that it enters a stable orbit rather than falling back to Earth, unlike a suborbital vehicle which crosses into space but returns without completing an orbit. Multi-stage rockets shed spent stages to reduce mass and improve the mass fraction delivered to orbit; solid stages provide high thrust for initial ascent, while a liquid or restartable kick stage allows precise final orbital insertion.
Key Details
- Low Earth Orbit (LEO): broadly 160-2,000 km altitude
- Vikram-1 uses three solid-propellant stages plus a liquid-propellant kick stage for final orbit trim, a hybrid design approach
- Solid propellants offer simplicity and storability; liquid/restartable stages offer throttle and precision control for orbital insertion
Vikram-1's hybrid solid-plus-liquid-kick-stage architecture is a design choice aimed at balancing launch simplicity with the precision needed to achieve stable orbit, the key technical threshold that separates it from Vikram-S's suborbital flight.
- Vikram-1 launch window: July 18 to August 4, 2026
- Payload capacity: up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit
- Rocket configuration: four stages (three solid + one liquid kick stage)
- Vikram-S (predecessor) launch: 18 November 2022, Mission Prarambh, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota
- Vikram-S peak altitude: 88.8 km; max speed Mach 5.07
- IN-SPACe established: June 2020
- Skyroot founded: 2018, by Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka