India’s private space sector took a historic step forward today when the country’s first private orbital rocket, Vikram-1, developed by Skyroot Aerospace, formally lifted off for launch. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy flagged off the ambitious mission from the company’s Max-Q campus in Hyderabad.
State IT, Electronics and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu was also present. During the ceremony, the Chief Minister flagged off the rocket’s space-ready payload fairing—a crucial structure that ensures the safety of satellites during flight.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy described it as a “milestone” for Telangana’s aerospace sector, saying the state government is committed to creating a globally competitive ecosystem. He also stressed the need to provide youth with opportunities to develop skills in this field.
Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace, called it a defining moment for India’s private space industry. He said Vikram-1 aims to make on-demand satellite launch services accessible to the global market.
All major rocket tests have been completed, and its propulsion stages have already been delivered to the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. The launch of Vikram-1 is considered a major step toward firmly establishing India on the global map of private space launches.
