New Delhi: India has become the third country in the world with private orbital launch capability after the Vikram-1 rocket successfully undertook its maiden flight from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, paving the way for commercial space flights from Indian soil.
The indigenously developed launch vehicle by Skyroot Aerospace injected four technology demonstration payloads on at an altitude of about 280 miles at a 60-degree orbital inclination in the earth’s lower orbit (LEO).
“We have created a global milestone from India,” said co-founder and CEO Pawan Chandana who founded the Hyderabad-based firm with Bharath Dhaka, both alumni of the Indian Institutes of Technology and former ISRO scientists turned entrepreneurs. “I thought it wouldn't be possible. A big shout out to the phenomenal team that made it happen.”
After the launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the team of Skyroot Aerospace and congratulated them on the successful launch of Vikram-1. “This is a defining moment in India’s space journey. The growing participation of our private sector is opening new frontiers and accelerating innovation. This achievement will encourage countless youngsters to dream bigger and innovate fearlessly,” Modi said in a post on X.
The mission will gather data across propulsion, stage separation, guidance, navigation, control and overall vehicle performance, supporting Skyroot’s evolution into a commercially operational launch company.
The success of the mission assumes importance given the global space industry is valued at almost $600 billion, with India’s current share at $8 billion and an ambition to grow this to $44 billion by 2032.
