Vikram-1: India’s first private orbital rocket launched into space by Skyroot

India’s first private orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1, carrying multiple technology demonstration payloads and a postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lifted off from this spaceport on Saturday.

Mission Aagaman: A historic milestone for India’s private space sector

Named “Mission Aagaman” (arrival), the test flight’s launch marks a historic milestone for the country’s commercial space sector and was executed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace.

On a cloudy day, the seven-storey-tall, four-stage Vikram-1 rocket lifted off at 12:05 pm on Saturday from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here. Following a “planned hold” due to apparent navigation issues, the launch took place 35 minutes later than the originally scheduled time of 11:30 am.

After its initial journey of a little less than 16 minutes, Vikram-1 is expected to place the payloads, both domestic and foreign, into a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 450 km with an inclination of 60 degrees.

Powered by 3D-printed engines: The advanced tech behind Vikram-1

Vikram-1 is 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.

The rocket is carrying payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed, and Skyroot’s own SCOPE, along with an artwork titled “Cosmic Bloom.”

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