Skyroot Set To Launch India’s First Private Orbital Rocket Between July 12 And August 4

Last Updated:July 02, 2026, 19:38 IST

All stages of the newly built rocket have been successfully integrated and stacked at the launch pad in Sriharikota

India is set to witness the launch of its first private orbital rocket this July. Private space start-up Skyroot Aerospace has announced the launch window for the maiden test flight of Vikram-1 from July 12 to August 4.

All stages of the newly built rocket have been successfully integrated and stacked at the launch pad in Sriharikota. “The test Flight-1 is targeted for no earlier than July 12, subject to the completion of assembly and testing operations at the launch site in SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota, and weather, safety, and range clearance," Skyroot announced on Thursday.

Vikram-1 is India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, designed to deploy small satellites of up to 350 kg into low Earth orbit. The maiden mission will target an orbit at an altitude of 450 km with a 60-degree orbital inclination.

The aim is to capture the real in-flight performance data from every system on the launch vehicle. It will gather critical data across propulsion, stage separation, guidance, navigation, control, and overall vehicle performance, supporting the evolution of Skyroot into a commercially operational launch company.

“We want to understand how the vehicle performs from lift-off through every phase of ascent. It will help us validate our designs and inform subsequent vehicle development as we build a reliable, high-cadence commercial launch programme," said Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder & CEO, Skyroot Aerospace. “The moment Vikram-1 lifts off, India’s private space industry will cross a threshold it has never crossed before."

Mission Aagaman, as referred to by the space start-up, marks Skyroot’s second mission following the successful suborbital flight of Vikram-S, the first private rocket to reach space from Indian soil, on November 18, 2022.

“With Vikram-S in 2022, we validated the foundation of our technology stack; with Vikram-1, we take our biggest step. This mission is designed as both a technology demonstration and a learning mission," said Naga Bharath Daka, co-founder & COO, Skyroot Aerospace.

This will be a partially commercial flight, with the company planning to commence full commercial flights after initial successful demonstrations to orbit. Joining the test flight is a mix of domestic and international customers, it added.

The seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle 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.

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Srishti Choudhary

Srishti Choudhary, Senior Assistant Editor at CNN-News18 specializes in science, environment, and climate change reporting. With over a decade of extensive field experience, she has brought incisive g...Read More

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