Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace has made history by successfully launching India’s first privately developed orbital rocket, Vikram-1, placing the nation alongside the US and China as countries with private satellite launch capabilities. According to RT, the launch took place on Saturday, sending several customer payloads into a low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 450 kilometers.

The rocket achieved orbit after a 17-minute flight, validating its in-flight performance and gathering critical data for upcoming commercial missions. Skyroot termed the event "Mission Aagaman," describing it as a test flight with plans for several more before initiating regular commercial launches.

Vikram-1 stands approximately 22 meters tall and can carry payloads weighing up to 350 kilograms into low-Earth orbit. Notably, the launch vehicle incorporated a 3D-printed engine module, marking a first in India’s aerospace sector.

Founded in 2018, Skyroot Aerospace reached a $1 billion valuation earlier this year, becoming the country's first space startup to do so. The company previously conducted the Vikram-S mission in 2022, which marked India’s first privately developed rocket to achieve a suborbital flight from Indian soil.

This landmark private mission emerges amid rapid growth in the global small satellite launch market, driven by rising commercial and defense demands. Governments across Europe and Asia are increasingly supporting domestic space firms to secure autonomous access to space.

India’s private space industry has expanded rapidly since the government opened its space sector to private investment in 2020. The number of startups has surged from just a few in 2019 to over 400 by early 2026, as India aims to grow its space economy from $8 billion currently to $44 billion by 2033.

Until now, India’s space missions were predominantly managed by the state-run Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which set records such as launching 104 satellites on a single rocket in 2017 and becoming the fourth nation to land on the moon with Chandrayaan-3 in 2023.

Why this matters

Skyroot’s success marks a pivotal moment for India’s burgeoning private space sector, signaling increased investor confidence and competition with global giants like SpaceX. This development highlights India’s strategic push to become a major player in the competitive space launch market, fostering technological innovation and economic growth.

With the global space economy rapidly expanding, India's entrance into private orbital launches enhances its position in an increasingly crowded and competitive market dominated by US, European, and Chinese companies.

Overall, this milestone underscores India’s shift towards privatization in space technology, potentially accelerating advancements and increasing the country’s share in the global space economy.