- Skyroot Aerospace launched India's first privately developed orbital rocket, Vikram-1, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 0635 GMT.
- The mission, dubbed 'Mission Aagaman', successfully injected its payload into a 450 km orbit about 15 minutes after launch.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Skyroot team during a phone call, stating, "You have made India proud."
- Vikram-1 is designed to carry payloads of up to 350 kg into low-Earth orbit and is powered by a 3D-printed engine.
- With this launch, India becomes the third country to achieve orbital launch capability through private enterprise, following the US and China.
- In 2020, India opened its space sector to private investment, aiming to increase its share of the global space economy to $44 billion by 2033 from about $8 billion currently.
- In 2022, Skyroot's Vikram-S mission became the first private rocket to reach space from Indian soil on a suborbital flight.
Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket launched successfully on Saturday, marking a historic achievement as India's first privately developed orbital rocket.1278
The launch took place at 0635 GMT from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, successfully placing its payload into a 450 km orbit about 15 minutes later.34
"Mission Aagaman is a grand success," the company stated, making India the third nation to achieve orbital launch capability through private enterprise, following the US and China.
Prime Minister Modi joined the celebrations via phone, congratulating the team and stating, "You have made India proud." He emphasized the potential of India's youth, noting the average age of the Skyroot team is just 28 years.56
Modi expressed confidence in the future of the company, saying, "This achievement will encourage countless youngsters to dream bigger and innovate fearlessly."
The Vikram-1 rocket, standing 22 meters tall, is designed to carry payloads of up to 350 kg into low-Earth orbit and utilizes a 3D-printed engine.
Skyroot, founded in 2018, aims to revolutionize access to space, likening their service to a "cab service to space" for satellite operators.
The launch is part of two test flights planned for this year, with commercial operations expected to begin next year.
"We have the capacity to build one rocket every month at our factory in Hyderabad," said co-founder Pawan Chandana.
“The 22-metre-tall Vikram-1 injected customer payloads into a 450 km orbit about 15 minutes after liftoff. Skyroot CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana noted the team's average age is 28, and PM Modi praised the youth in a nine-minute congratulatory call.”
