India has achieved a significant milestone in its space journey with the successful launch of Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital rocket. Developed by Skyroot Aerospace, a private aerospace company, Vikram-1 lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on July 18, 2026, at 12:05 p.m. The mission, dubbed ‘Mission Aagaman’ (meaning arrival), marks India’s entry into an elite group of nations with private orbital launch capability.
The rocket successfully placed multiple technology demonstration payloads and postcards, including one from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, into a low earth orbit. This achievement makes India the third country in the world to achieve the feat through a privately developed launch vehicle. The mission was a ‘grand success,’ according to the company.
Vikram-1 is a seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle 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. It is designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The primary objective of Vikram-1’s first test flight was to achieve a successful lift-off, safe clearance of the tower, and gather maximum data throughout the ascent.
The flight sequence from lift-off to orbit injection covered 14 phases, and the total duration of the flight was 15.46 minutes. The in-flight data gathered from this mission will be used by the company to learn, improve, and build further. The launch of Vikram-1 comes 46 years after India launched its first experimental Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3) on July 18, 1980.
A handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also travel to space on Vikram-1, along with hundreds of cards from well-wishers across the world. The successful launch of Vikram-1 marks a significant milestone in India’s space journey and paves the way for the country’s private sector to play a major role in the global launch business. The launch was witnessed by Union Minister for State for Space, who praised the innovation and creativity of the makers and said the programme could not have been witnessed if Prime Minister had not opened the space sector.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wished the entire Skyroot Aerospace team a successful launch, saying ‘May Vikram-1 soar high, create history and inspire a generation of innovators.’
