Business EconomyPosted at: Jul 17 2026 7:36PM


India's first private orbital-class rocket Vikram-1 to launch on July 18, carrying PM Modi's 'Vande Mataram' message

Chennai, Jul 17 (UNI) India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1, is set to make its maiden flight on Saturday, marking a major milestone in the country's space programme and the beginning of private orbital launches in India.
Developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, the first test flight, named Mission Aagaman (Arrival), is scheduled for launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, at 11.30 am on July 18.
Among the mission's symbolic payloads is a handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi bearing the words "Vande Mataram", Skyroot Aerospace announced in a post on X on Friday.
"Among the payloads on Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 is something truly special—a handwritten postcard from Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi with the words 'Vande Mataram'," the company said.
The launch is expected to herald a new era for India's space sector by becoming the country's first privately developed orbital-class rocket to attempt an orbital mission, opening the door for greater private sector participation in India's expanding space programme.
The rocket, measuring 24 metres in length and weighing 40 tonnes, would be launched into a 450 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with an inclination of 60 degrees.
In a social media post, Skyroot said, "Building for the world from India. India's first privately developed orbital rocket stands on the launch pad at Sriharikota, ready for its maiden test flight."
It would carry international and domestic technology demonstrators as payloads, including an 18K gold rocket containing micro-sculptures of Nobel Laureate Sir C. V. Raman, Dr Vikram Sarabhai, and former President and distinguished space and missile scientist, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, smaller than a grain of rice, a diamond jewellery piece, and Skyroot's own SCOPE satellite.
The microart gold rocket payload, created by Telangana's Ajay Kumar Mattewada, features sculptures measuring 700 microns by 980 microns. The artwork honours three figures central to India's scientific and space heritage, including Sarabhai, after whom the Vikram- 1 rocket was named.
The Cosmic Bloom, developed by Karnataka-based Cosmos Diamonds, is a 16.95 carat diamond lotus jewellery piece shaped like a blooming flower. Payloads also include SOLARAS, a 1U CubeSat from Karnataka-based Grahaa Space; Embrace, an in-orbit robotic arm demo from Telangana-based Cosmoserve Space; and uD3PP and mD3PRN, in-orbit demonstration payloads from Germany's DCubed.
In a post on X, it said, "Payloads on a ride to space. Vikram-1's Test Flight-1, Mission Aagaman, carries multiple technology demonstrations: grahaaspace's SOLARAS S3 satellite, Cosmoserve Space's in-orbit robotic arm Embrace, an in-orbit demonstration from Germany's @DCUBEDspace, and Skyroot's own SCOPE satellite."
"Flying alongside them: Cosmos Diamonds' artwork Cosmic Bloom, and a Microart by Ajay Kumar Mattewada — an 18K gold rocket holding micro-sculptures of Sir C.V. Raman, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (Vikram-1's namesake), and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, each smaller than a grain of rice", it further said.
Vikram-1 is a seven-storeyed tall multi-stage rocket that featured an all-carbon composite structure and reliable solid fuel boosters and advanced 3D-Printed Liquid Engines. The rocket was designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kg into a LEO and inject them at about 450 km altitude, and satellites up to 260 kg to Sun-synchronous Orbit.
Skyroot said, "Aagaman means Arrival." Proud to unveil the #MissionAagaman patch — the arrival of a new Indian rocket on the world stage, and a new chapter for all of us at Skyroot. The patch honors India's space journey, and the era of private orbital launches it opens. Vikram-1, Test Flight-1....Onwards & Upwards."
This is the second mission for Skyroot after the successful launch of the suborbital launch vehicle Vikram-S, India's first privately built rocket to space on November 18, 2022. Vikram- 1 is its maiden suborbital test flight, which was launched from Sriharikota.
This historic mission, named Prarambh ("The Beginning"), marked the first-ever private rocket launch from India. The single-stage solid rocket reached an altitude of about 89.5 km in 155 seconds, as planned. This sounding rocket carried three payloads, ISRO said. The payloads are BAZOOMQ Armenia, Space Kidz India, and N-Space Tech India.
Following a nominal ascent phase, the vehicle completed its mission profile, splashing down 125 km downrange in the Bay of Bengal.
The mission validated key technologies for the Vikram-series of orbital launchers, including solid propulsion systems, carbon composite structures, avionics, and telemetry. This successful demonstration has paved the way for the orbital launch vehicle, Vikram-1.
According to Skyroot, the primary objective of Mission Aagaman is to gather critical in-flight performance data across all major systems of the Vikram-1 rocket, including propulsion, stage separation, guidance, navigation, control, and overall vehicle performance. The data will be used to validate the vehicle's design and support the development of a reliable, high-frequency commercial launch programme. UNI MBJ SAS
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