India's first private rocket lifts off on historic test flight, all eyes on satellite deployment

India's first private rocket liftsoff on historic test flight, all eyes on satellite deploymentSkyroot scripts history with India's first private launch. (Photo: Skyroot)India's private space sector reached a defining milestone on Saturday as Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1, the country's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota.The landmark mission, named Mission Aagaman, marks the arrival of Indian private industry into the orbital launch business, placing the country among a select group where commercial companies have independently developed and launched orbital rockets.As Vikram-1 soared into the sky atop a pillar of flame, years of engineering, testing and innovation culminated in a moment that could reshape India's future in space transportation.The launch took palce after an internal hold triggered a short delay. However, all stages performer nominally with the separtions being precise and clean. Standing nearly seven storeys tall, Vikram-1 is an all-carbon composite, multi-stage launch vehicle capable of placing payloads weighing up to 350 kilograms into Low Earth Orbit. The rocket is powered by propulsion systems developed entirely in-house, including advanced 3D-printed rocket engines and high-performance solid rocket motors.The maiden test flight carried several technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed, and Skyroot's own SCOPE experiment. Also onboard were symbolic payloads, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handwritten "Vande Mataram" postcard, handwritten messages from current and former ISRO chairmen, Indian astronauts, Skyroot employees, investors and supporters from around the world. Beyond validating the rocket's performance in flight, the mission is expected to provide critical engineering data that will help Skyroot refine the Vikram launch vehicle family and establish a regular commercial launch cadence.The successful mission also represents a major victory for India's space sector reforms, which opened the doors for private companies to build rockets, satellites and launch services alongside ISRO.Skyroot was founded in 2018 by former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, who envisioned making access to space more affordable, reliable and responsive for the rapidly growing small satellite market. The company first made history in 2022 when its Vikram-S became India's first privately built rocket to reach space.- EndsPublished On: Jul 18, 2026 12:05 IST