Skyroot Sets Date for Vikram-1 Orbital Test Flight from Sriharikota

Hyderabad-based space tech startup Skyroot Aerospace has opened the launch window for the maiden test flight of Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket. The startup is India’s first and only space tech unicorn, reaching a $1.1 billion valuation after raising nearly $60 million in its last funding round.

With liftoff targeted no earlier than July 12 from SDSC-SHAR in Sriharikota, the launch window for this upcoming test flight extends until August 4 and remains subject to the completion of assembly and testing operations, as well as weather, safety, and range clearances.

The company announced the launch window as part of Mission Aagaman, named after the Sanskrit word for ‘arrival’. The mission aims to establish India’s private orbital launch capability and collect in-flight performance data across the rocket’s systems to support the development of a commercial launch programme.

Mission Aagaman marks Skyroot’s second mission after the successful launch of Vikram-S in November 2022, which became the first privately built rocket to reach space from Indian soil. 

The upcoming flight will be partially commercial, carrying a mix of domestic and international customer payloads. The company plans to begin full commercial operations after one or two successful orbital demonstration missions.

“We want to understand how the vehicle performs from lift-off through every phase of ascent. This data cannot be fully replicated through ground testing. It will help us validate our designs and inform subsequent vehicle development as we build a reliable, high-cadence commercial launch programme,” said Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace, in a statement.

Skyroot said all stages of Vikram-1 have been integrated and stacked at the launch pad. The mission will gather data on propulsion, stage separation, guidance, navigation, control, and overall vehicle performance.

Vikram-1 is a multi-stage launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure and powered by propulsion systems developed in-house, including 3D-printed engines and solid-fuel boosters. The rocket can carry satellites weighing up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit. Its maiden mission will target a 450 km orbit with a 60-degree inclination.

The flight-ready vehicle was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2025 during the inauguration of Skyroot’s Infinity campus.

Naga Bharath Daka, Co-founder and COO of Skyroot Aerospace, added, “With Vikram-1, we take our biggest step yet toward a reliable, high-cadence launch programme built in India, for India and the world. This mission is designed as both a technology demonstration and a learning mission.”

Skyroot said frequent access to orbit remains a challenge for satellite operators that often wait months or years for launch opportunities. The company’s ‘Cab to Space’ model aims to provide dedicated access to orbit using infrastructure and support enabled through India’s space sector reforms.

Skyroot said increased launch capacity could support sectors including communications, navigation, agriculture, fisheries, disaster management, and national security.