Skyroot makes history! 6 payloads put into low-Earth orbit aboard pvt rocket Vikram-1

CHENNAI: India on Friday marked a major milestone in the opening of its space sector to private players as Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace successfully carried six payloads including two satellites into low-Earth orbit aboard Vikram-1, the country's first privately developed orbital launch vehicle.Pawan Kumar Goenka, chairman, Inspace said: "I am privileged to formally announce that the first ever Indian private sector launch has been completed successfully. The mission objective was to simply clear the tower. It went all the way up to 450km orbit, successfully completed all the tasks and something that is way beyond expected in the very first launch."

PM Modi speaks to Skyroot team

Immediately after the mission was declared a success, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the CEO of Skyroot Aerospace, Pawan Kumar Chandana and co-founder Naga Bharath Daka over the phone.PM Modi hailed the successful launch of the country's maiden private orbital rocket, Vikram-1, saying it proved the country's self-reliance push.He conveyed his "grand greetings" to them and said their "Mission Aagaman" (arrival) should proceed further. The mission "proves we can be Atmanirbhar," he added.Referring to PM Modi's post card with "Vande Mataram," slogan, which the launch vehicle carried to a low earth orbit of 450 km, Chandana said: "Your card has successfully reached orbit.

Vande Mataram is in orbit.""It is so heartening to hear the Prime Minister talk so highly about Skyroot. This is a historic moment not just for Skyroot, for India and also for entire global space sector. We have achieved something rare and unique. The rocket is 100% built by Indians in India," said Chandana after mission success.

Brief pause before launch

The 23‑metre, 1.7‑metre‑diameter launch vehicle lifted off from the First Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, at 12.05pm as part of Mission Aagaman.The launch, originally slated for 11.30am, saw its countdown briefly halted just five minutes before liftoff; a revised launch window was announced shortly afterward and the vehicle cleared the pad at 12.05pm.The rocket carried the payloads into a 450-km low-Earth orbit at an inclination of about 60 degrees, meeting the mission's primary objective of validating India's first privately developed orbital launch vehicle.The mission also carried symbolic payloads, including Cosmic Bloom, an artwork created from lab-grown diamonds by Cosmos Diamonds, a micro-art payload, and a handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Also read: 'I saw launch live, you have inspired youth': PM Modi calls Skyroot team, hails success of missionBuilt using advanced carbon-composite structures, Vikram-1 is a three-stage solid-fuel launch vehicle equipped with a restartable liquid-fuelled Orbit Adjustment Module (OAM) for precise orbital insertion and deployment of multiple satellites.

It is designed to carry up to 350 kg to low-Earth orbit and about 260 kg to Sun-synchronous orbit, targeting the growing global market for dedicated and rideshare launches of small satellites for Earth observation, communication, scientific and technology demonstration missions.

Many of the vehicle's key technologies, including propulsion, avionics, thermal protection systems and composite structures, were first demonstrated during Skyroot's Vikram-S suborbital mission in 2022.The flight is the first of three planned developmental missions before Vikram-1 enters commercial service.The launch also marks an important step in India's space sector reforms, under which private companies are now permitted to develop and operate orbital launch vehicles.Until now, satellite launches from Indian soil had been carried out exclusively by Isro.