Skyroot Launches Vikram-1, India’s 1st Private Orbital Rocket After 8-Year Push
Updated
Updated · ThePrint · Jul 19
Skyroot Launches Vikram-1, India’s 1st Private Orbital Rocket After 8-Year Push
3 articles · Updated · ThePrint · Jul 19
Summary
Vikram-1 has successfully launched, marking India’s first privately developed orbital rocket and a milestone for Skyroot Aerospace.
Pawan Chandana said the effort began in 2018, when Skyroot was founded despite no policy backing for private space ventures and little investor belief that a startup could build launch vehicles.
Chandana, a former ISRO scientist who worked 6 years on the LVM3 rocket, said Skyroot grew from his twin ambitions in entrepreneurship and rocketry after leaving a secure government job.
Skyroot is now one of India’s fastest-growing deep-tech startups, though Chandana described the launch as only another milestone and said the company is still taking “baby steps.”
How will India's new private launch capability reshape the global race for space dominance against the US and China?
Can 3D-printed engines allow Indian startups to undercut and outperform established global launch providers?
With ISRO shifting focus, will privatization accelerate India's space ambitions or introduce new risks to its strategic programs?
India's First Private Orbital Launch: Skyroot's Vikram-1 Ushers in a New Era for the Indian Space Economy
Overview
On July 18, 2026, Skyroot Aerospace made history by successfully launching its Vikram-1 rocket into orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, marking India’s entry as the third country in the world to achieve private orbital launch capability. This milestone began a new era for India’s private space sector, showcasing the nation’s growing self-reliance and technological innovation. Building on its earlier achievement with the Vikram-S suborbital rocket in 2022, Skyroot’s success reflects the impact of India’s strategic decision to open its space sector to private companies, sparking public excitement and positioning India as a rising force in global space exploration.