Mission Aagaman: India's maiden private rocket Vikram -1 successfully launches from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
PTC News Desk: India's private space industry achieved a major milestone on Saturday as Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1, the country's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota.
The mission, called Mission Aagaman, marks India's entry into the private orbital launch market. With this launch, India joins a select group of countries where private companies have independently developed and launched orbital rockets.
Skyroot Vikram-1 LIFTOFF from SDSC! pic.twitter.com/pcIXRfRXkZ — Anshuman Mahapatra (@TitaniumSV5) July 18, 2026
After a brief delay caused by an internal hold, the rocket lifted off successfully. All stages of the mission performed as planned, with smooth and accurate stage separations.
Standing nearly seven storeys tall, Vikram-1 is a multi-stage rocket made from lightweight carbon composite materials. It can carry payloads of up to 350 kg into Low Earth Orbit and is powered by Skyroot's in-house technologies, including advanced 3D-printed rocket engines and high-performance solid rocket motors.
The maiden flight carried several technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed, and Skyroot's own SCOPE experiment. It also carried symbolic items, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handwritten "Vande Mataram" postcard, along with messages from current and former ISRO chairpersons, Indian astronauts, Skyroot employees, investors and supporters.
The successful launch is also a major boost for India's space sector reforms, which have allowed private companies to build rockets, satellites and launch services alongside ISRO, paving the way for a stronger commercial space industry.
- With inputs from agencies
