The first private Indian rocket will launch into space this summer – the probability of its successful flight is low, but that’s the reality.

Skyroot Aerospace: preparing for the summer launch of Vikram‑1

Indian startup Skyroot Aerospace, founded by former employees of the national space agency ISRO, plans its first orbital flight of the Vikram‑1 rocket already this year. The company recently raised $60 million in investment and became India's first “unicorn” with a valuation of $1.1 billion.

What is Vikram‑1?
* Type – three‑stage solid‑fuel rocket.
* Mission – to deliver almost half a ton of payload into low Earth orbit.
* Body – predominantly carbon composite.
* Engine – the single Kalam‑1000 motor on the first stage, thrust 1,000 kN (≈ 1,000 tonnes‑force).

CEO and cofounder Pavan Kumar notes: “Using one engine simplifies manufacturing and testing compared to a multi‑engine liquid‑fuel configuration. That is why we are moving so quickly.”

Project status
* Skyroot has already passed the final testing stage, ahead of competitors such as Agnikul Cosmos.
* Kumar emphasizes: “Statistically, the first launch of a private company almost always ends in failure, but we have done everything possible to make it successful.”

History and names
* The rocket line is named after physicist Vikram Sarabhai – founder of India's space program.
* In November 2022, Skyroot launched the suborbital version Vikram‑S, which does not reach orbit but allows testing key technologies for Vikram‑1.

Industry context
* Since 2020, the Indian government has opened the space industry to the private sector.
* Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh aims to increase the country's share of the global space economy from 2 % to 10 % by 2030.
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for doubling the number of annual launches from about five to fifty by the end of the decade.

Thus, Skyroot Aerospace is on the brink of a significant step: the first orbital launch of Vikram‑1 could become a major achievement both for the company and for India's space industry as a whole.