India’s private space age takes off with Vikram-1 launch

India’s first privately built orbital rocket has taken its maiden flight, its company has said, marking a significant step for the South Asian giant as it eyes a bigger slice of the global space economy.

The Vikram-1 rocket, built by Skyroot Aerospace and designed to carry small satellites into low-Earth orbit, took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Saturday amid loud cheers.

“Hello space, we have arrived!” Skyroot Aerospace said in a post on X.

“Vikram-1’s Test Flight-1 has completed its mission. The first ever Indian private sector launch has been successfully completed.”

Vikram-1 is about as tall as a seven-storey building and capable of carrying payloads weighing up to 350 kilograms.

Pawan Goenka, chairman of the government’s Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, said the achievement went “way beyond expectation for the very first orbital launch ever taken by an Indian private company”.

‘Defining moment in India’s space journey’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the endeavour as “a defining moment in India’s space journey”.

“The growing participation of our private sector is opening new frontiers and accelerating innovation,” Modi said.

“This achievement will encourage countless youngsters to dream bigger and innovate fearlessly,” he added.

The rocket is carrying a diverse range of payloads, including a lab-grown diamond and robotic arms capable of removing space debris.