Skyroot Aerospace Pvt said on Thursday it will attempt to launch Vikram-1, billed as India’s first orbital rocket designed and developed by a private firm, within a launch window running from July 12 to August 4. The company described the upcoming flight as a partially commercial mission that will carry payloads for a combination of domestic and international customers; it did not disclose the identities of those customers.
Skyroot framed the mission as a stepping stone toward routine commercial operations, noting that it expects to begin full commercial flights only after completing one or two successful demonstrations to orbit. The company said the lift-off will play a role in validating the vehicle’s designs and guiding future vehicle development. “This will be partially commercial flight, with the company planning to commence full commercial flights after one or two successful demonstrations to orbit,” the firm said in a statement.
The planned launch represents a landmark for the private sector in India’s space industry. Skyroot has been described as the country’s first space unicorn and the mission would add to India’s satellite launch capacity as private participation in the sector grows following policy changes that opened the market to private companies three years ago.
Skyroot named the launcher Vikram-1 in honor of the founder of India’s space program. The firm previously completed a suborbital test on November 18, 2022, when the Vikram-S vehicle reached an altitude of 89.5 kilometers and splashed down in the Bay of Bengal about five minutes after liftoff, making Skyroot the first Indian company to conduct a suborbital launch. The company has postponed the orbital launch on multiple occasions since that suborbital flight.
Vikram-1 is described as a seven-storey, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle constructed with an all-carbon composite airframe. Its propulsion suite includes engines produced with 3D printing techniques and high-thrust solid-fuel rocket boosters that Skyroot developed in-house. The rocket is designed to place small satellites weighing up to 350 kilograms into low earth orbit.
For its maiden mission, Skyroot has targeted an operational orbit at an altitude of 450 kilometers with a 60-degree orbital inclination. The company emphasized that the test will carry a mix of payloads from both domestic and international customers but reiterated that it would not disclose customer names ahead of the flight.
What to watch next
- Whether Vikram-1 achieves orbit within the July 12 - August 4 window.
- Confirmation of one or two successful demonstrations before the start of full commercial flights.
- Details on the payloads and customers once the launch is complete.