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Vikram-1 blasts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre [R Satish Babu\/AFP]<\/p>\nPM Narendra Modi says successful launch will \u2018encourage countless youngsters to dream bigger and innovate fearlessly\u2019.<\/p>\n
Published On 18 Jul 202618 Jul 2026<\/p>\n
India has successfully tested its first private-sector orbital rocket, marking a milestone in New Delhi\u2019s ambition to become a major player in the global space economy.<\/p>\n
The three-stage 22-metre Vikram-1 was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota and deployed customer payloads into a 450km (280-mile) low-Earth orbit, making India the third country to achieve orbital launch capability through private enterprise.<\/p>\n
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Vikram-1 can carry a payload of up to 350kg (772lb) and is equipped with robotic arms that can clear space debris.<\/p>\n
It also carried experimental equipment, a lab-grown diamond and a miniature 18-carat gold sculpture commemorating India\u2019s national space programme.<\/p>\n
Vikram-1 blasts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre [R Satish Babu\/AFP]<\/p>\n
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement, saying that it will \u201cencourage countless youngsters to dream bigger and innovate fearlessly\u201d.<\/p>\n
The test validated the rocket\u2019s propulsion, avionics, telemetry, guidance, navigation and control systems during flight, according to manufacturer Skyroot Aerospace.<\/p>\n
Founded in 2018, Skyroot is among a new generation of Indian space startups that have attracted backing from global investors following the sector\u2019s liberalisation.<\/p>\n
It became the first space-sector company in the \u2060country to hit a $1bn valuation earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Skyroot celebrated the successful mission with a post on X stating: \u201cHello space, we have arrived!\u201d<\/p>\n
Vikram-1 improves upon Skyroot\u2019s Vikram-S mission in 2022<\/a>. That suborbital flight reached space but did not place payloads into orbit.<\/p>\n The company plans further test flights before starting routine commercial missions. It is another milestone for India\u2019s burgeoning private and public space programmes.<\/p>\n India\u2019s national space programme previously launched 104 satellites into orbit on one rocket in 2017<\/a>, setting a record at the time.<\/p>\n