Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday has extended his best wishes to the Skyroot Aerospace team ahead of the maiden orbital launch of Vikram-1, India's first privately developed launch vehicle.
The four-stage rocket is scheduled to be launched at 11.30 am today. It has been designed to provide rapid, on-demand satellite launch services.
Describing the mission as a historic new frontier in India's space journey, the Prime Minister said it reflected the talent, determination and entrepreneurial spirit of the country's youth. He added that reforms in India's space sector were creating new opportunities for innovation and private enterprise.
“My best wishes to the entire Skyroot Aerospace team for a successful launch. May Vikram-1 soar high, make history and inspire a generation of innovators,” Prime Minister Modi said in a post on X.
He also urged Indians, particularly young people, to follow the historic mission and express their support for the Skyroot Aerospace team.
A historic new frontier for India's space journey!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 18, 2026
At 11:30 AM today, Skyroot Aerospace will undertake the maiden orbital launch of Vikram-1, India's first privately developed launch vehicle.
This four-stage rocket is designed to provide rapid and on-demand launch services.… pic.twitter.com/1qFVTwNOuZ
Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace on Thursday announced that it plans to launch the maiden test flight of Vikram-1, the nation's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, on July 18. The mission, called 'Agaman', will aim to validate the performance of Skyroot's orbital launch vehicle and key technologies in flight.
What Is Vikram-1
Vikram-1 is a seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure and powered by in-house developed propulsion systems, including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel rocket boosters.
Designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO), Vikram-1's maiden mission will target an orbit at an altitude of 450 km with a 60-degree orbital inclination.
The launch will mark Skyroot's second mission following the successful suborbital flight of Vikram-S, the first private rocket to reach space from Indian soil, on November 18, 2022.
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