India’s Vikram-1 Rocket Set for Launch
Skyroot Aerospace is set to launch Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Saturday. The maiden flight will mark a major milestone for the country’s growing private space industry.
Vikram-1 Launch Scheduled From Sriharikota
The Vikram-1 rocket is scheduled to lift off at 11.30 a.m. on July 18 as part of Mission Aagaman. The launch has received the necessary airspace and maritime clearances, while final preparations have been completed at the Sriharikota spaceport.
The mission will be the first orbital launch attempt by a private Indian company from Indian soil. Skyroot Aerospace previously launched the Vikram-S suborbital rocket in November 2022, successfully testing several technologies required for its orbital launch vehicles.
Mission Aagaman to Carry Multiple Payloads
Vikram-1 will carry multiple customer payloads into low Earth orbit. These include satellites and technology demonstration payloads developed by Indian and international organisations.
The maiden mission will primarily test the rocket’s propulsion, navigation, avionics, stage-separation and payload deployment systems under actual flight conditions. A successful mission would demonstrate Skyroot’s ability to provide commercial launch services for small satellites.
Vikram-1 uses three solid-fuel stages and a liquid-fuelled upper stage designed to deploy payloads into their intended orbits.
India’s Private Space Sector Reaches Milestone
The launch represents a significant development for India’s private space programme following reforms that opened the sector to non-government companies.
Skyroot Aerospace was founded in Hyderabad in 2018 by former space agency engineers. The company is developing a family of Vikram rockets intended to offer flexible and cost-effective launch services.
A successful orbital flight would position Skyroot among a limited number of private companies worldwide capable of developing and launching orbital rockets.
