Skyroot to launch Vikram-1 orbital test flight July 18

India's private space sector is poised for a historic milestone as Skyroot Aerospace prepares for the maiden test flight of its Vikram1 orbital rocket, scheduled for July 18. The launch is set for 11:30 a.m. from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, marking the first attempt by a privately designed and developed orbital-class rocket to fly from Indian soil.

The mission, named "Aagaman" meaning "the arrival," follows the company's successful suborbital flight of the Vikram-S rocket on November 18, 2022. Vikram1 represents a significant technological leap, designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kilograms into Low Earth Orbit. For this inaugural test flight, the vehicle is targeting a 450-kilometer orbit at a 60-degree inclination.

Company officials stated that all stages of the seven-story-tall rocket have been successfully integrated and stacked on the launch pad. Final integrated checks from the launch control center, along with interface checks with telemetry ground stations and tracking radars, have been completed. Necessary airspace and maritime notices have been issued, formally designating restricted zones along the rocket's...