Skyroot Aerospace Launches India's First Commercial Rocket, Vikram-1, Towards Orbit

Skyroot Aerospace, India's inaugural private space company, successfully launched its Vikram-1 rocket, designed to deploy satellites into orbit. The launch follows the firm's uncrewed sub-orbital test flight in November 2022, which utilised its Vikram-S rocket.

This initiative represents a substantial development for India's space industry, historically under the control of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The nation's space programme, established in 1969, has recently seen a push to integrate private enterprise.

The Vikram-1 rocket is named in tribute to Vikram Sarabhai, a foundational figure in India's space programme. It is designed to carry payloads of up to 300kg into sun-synchronous orbits, typically at an altitude of 500km. The company has indicated plans for additional launches throughout 2025.