Hyderabad-based Skyroot sends India’s first private orbital rocket Vikram-1 into space

India's first private orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1, developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, lifted off from Sriharikota carrying multiple technology demonstration payloads. The historic Mission Aagaman marks a major milestone for India's growing commercial space sector.

Sriharikota: India’s first private orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1, carrying multiple technology demonstration payloads and a postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lifted off from the spaceport on Saturday.

Named “Mission Aagaman” (Arrival), the test flight marks a historic milestone for the country’s commercial space sector and is being executed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace.

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On a cloudy day, the seven-storey-tall, four-stage Vikram-1 rocket lifted off at 12.05 pm from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here. Following a “planned hold” due to apparent navigation issues, the launch took place 35 minutes later than the originally scheduled time of 11.30 am.

After its initial journey of just under 16 minutes, Vikram-1 is expected to place the payloads, both domestic and foreign, into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 450 km with an inclination of 60 degrees.

Vikram-1, named after the legendary Vikram Sarabhai, who is often regarded as the Father of India’s space programme, is built with an all-carbon composite structure and powered by in-house-developed propulsion systems, including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel rocket boosters.

The rocket is carrying payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed and Skyroot’s own SCOPE, along with an artwork titled “Cosmic Bloom”.