| Error creating thumbnail: File with dimensions greater than 12.5 MP Vikram-I on the First Launch Pad at SDSC SHAR | |
| Function | Small-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Skyroot Aerospace |
| Country of origin | India |
| Size | |
| Height | 24 m (79 ft) |
| Stages | 4 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO (500 km @ 45° inclination) | |
| Mass | I:350 kg (770 lb) IU:550 kg (1,210 lb) |
| Payload to SSPO (500 km) | |
| Mass | 260 kg (570 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | Template:Ubil |
| Total launches | 1 |
| Success(es) | 1 |
| First stage | |
| Motor | Kalam 1200 |
| Thrust | 1,000 kN (220,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Second stage | |
| Engines | Kalam 250 |
| Thrust | 250 kN (56,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Third stage | |
| Motor | Kalam 100 |
| Thrust | 100 kN (22,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Fourth stage | |
| Engines | 4 x Raman-I |
| Thrust | 3.4 kN (760 lbf) |
| Propellant | N2O4/MMH |
Vikram-1 (Sanskrit, lit. 'Brave'; Namesake: Vikram Sarabhai, also referred to as Vikram-I) is a four-stage expendable small-lift launch vehicle developed by Skyroot Aerospace. The vehicle employs solid propulsion for its first three stages, while its final stage is powered by a liquid engine. Its maiden mission, designated Aagaman, was launched on 18 July 2026 and successfully completed its flight objectives.[1][2]
Development[edit | edit source]
Skyroot Aerospace officially introduced the Vikram-1 launch vehicle in October 2023 during an event held at its MAX-Q headquarters in Hyderabad.[3] According to the company, the rocket was designed to address the increasing demand for launches within the global small satellite market.[4]
Development of Vikram-1 followed the successful flight of the Vikram-S suborbital demonstrator in November 2022. That mission made Skyroot the first privately owned Indian company to launch a rocket from facilities operated by ISRO.[5]
In May 2022, the company carried out a full-duration static firing test of the Kalam-100 solid rocket stage, one of the propulsion elements intended for Vikram-1.[6] Further qualification activities, including avionics validation and stage separation testing, were conducted during 2024 and 2025.[1]
In November 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the flight-ready version of Vikram-1 while inaugurating Skyroot's Infinity Campus in Hyderabad.[7]
Design[edit | edit source]
Vikram-1 is a four-stage orbital launch vehicle measuring about 20 metres in height and 1.7 metres in diameter.[8] Solid propulsion is used for the first three stages, whereas the upper kick stage is powered by a liquid propulsion system that performs orbital insertion and subsequent orbital adjustment manoeuvres.[9]
The vehicle is finished with a blue first stage, while the remaining three stages are painted white.[1]
Its structure makes extensive use of carbon-composite airframes to reduce overall weight. According to Skyroot, the rocket also incorporates 3D-printed liquid engines together with a modular avionics architecture.[10]
The Kalam 250 stage is equipped with thrust vector control to steer the vehicle during flight, while the upper stage employs reaction control system (RCS) thrusters to maintain and adjust its attitude.[1]
Skyroot describes Vikram-1 as a responsive launch vehicle intended for rapid integration and launch, with relatively low ground infrastructure requirements.[11] The launcher is designed to support both dedicated payload missions and rideshare launches.[4]
Launch history[edit | edit source]
The inaugural mission of Vikram-1, named Aagaman (Sanskrit, 'Arrival'), was launched on 18 July 2026. During the flight, the vehicle successfully deployed several miniaturized satellites into low Earth orbit, marking the first successful orbital launch by the rocket.[9][12][13][14]
| Date / time (UTC) | Flight | Rocket (Configuration) |
Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 July 2026 06:35:30 |
Aagaman | Vikram-1 | Satish Dhawan FLP |
|
LEO | Success |
| The maiden flight of Vikram-1 also carried Cosmoserve Space's robotic arm Embrace and hosted an in-orbit technology demonstration by the German company DCUBED on the vehicle's upper stage. The mission successfully achieved orbit on the rocket's first launch attempt.[12] | ||||||
| Q1 2027 | TBA | Vikram-1U | Satish Dhawan |  TBA
|
LEO | Planned |
| The first flight of the Vikram-1U configuration, an upgraded version of Vikram-1 equipped with additional solid rocket boosters, is planned for the first quarter of 2027.[15] | ||||||
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Skyroot Aerospace (16 July 2026). Vikram-1 | Test Flight-1 | Skyroot | Mission Aagaman| India's First Private Orbital Rocket Launch. Retrieved 18 July 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Foust, Jeff (18 July 2026). "Skyroot Aerospace reaches orbit on first Vikram-1 launch". SpaceNews. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Thathoo, Chetan (24 October 2023). "Shooting For The Stars: Skyroot Unveils Orbital Rocket Vikram-I At Its New HQ In Hyderabad". Inc42 Media. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Skyroot | On-Demand Space Launch Vehicles". www.skyroot.in. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "India successfully launches Vikram-S, first privately made rocket". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ Alamalhodaei, Aria (20 May 2022). "Skyroot successfully completes full-duration stage test". TechCrunch. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ "PM Modi to inaugurate Skyroot's Infinity Campus, unveil Vikram-I Orbital Rocket today". ddnews.gov.in. Archived from the original on 8 December 2025. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ "Skyroot readies Vikram-1 for India's first private orbital launch - Manufacturing Today India". 26 April 2026. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "India's Skyroot launches Vikram-1 in first private orbital rocket mission".
- ↑ "Skyroot Aerospace and Dhawan-II's More Powerful 3D-Printed Cryogenic Engine". www.cryogenicsociety.org. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 24 May 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "'The dawn of a new space era': Vikram-1, India's 1st private orbital rocket, aces debut launch". Space. 17 July 2026. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ "With Skyroot at the head of the class, India's private space industry seeks to take off". Ars Technica. 11 May 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
- ↑ "Hello Space, Vikram-1 Has Arrived: Skyroot Scripts India's Historic Rocket Mission". NDTV. 18 July 2026. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
- ↑ Foust, Jeff (8 July 2026). "Skyroot prepares for first orbital launch attempt". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
