India's Skyroot launches first private orbital rocket

India successfully launched its first privately developed orbital-class rocket on Saturday, July 18, 2026, marking a historic milestone for the country's commercial space sector. The Vikram-1 rocket, built by Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot Aerospace, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 12:05 p.m. local time, following a brief delay from its originally scheduled launch.

The mission, named "Aagaman" or "Arrival," successfully placed multiple payloads into a low Earth orbit approximately 450 kilometers above the planet about 15 minutes after liftoff. This achievement makes India the third country, after the United States and China, where a private company has independently demonstrated orbital launch capability.

The four-stage rocket, standing between 22 and 24 meters tall, completed all planned flight stages, including stage separations and the firing of its liquid-fueled Orbital Adjustment Module. The primary objective of this inaugural test flight was to validate the rocket's propulsion, avionics, guidance, navigation, and control systems while gathering extensive flight data. The Vikram-1 is designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350...