Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 to launch India's 1st private orbital mission
Skyroot Aerospace is about to make history with the launch of its Vikram-1 rocket on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 11:30am from Sriharikota.
This is India's first private orbital mission, part of Mission Aagaman, and will see the rocket spend just 16 minutes getting payloads into a 450-kilometer low Earth orbit.
Vikram-1 carries 6 payloads including micro-sculptures
Vikram-1 works like a "cab service to space," letting small satellite operators book their own rides instead of waiting for bigger missions.
It's carrying six payloads this time, including an Earth observation camera and a robotic arm for cleaning up space junk.
The mission also honors Indian science legends by flying micro-sculptures of CV Raman, APJ Abdul Kalam, and Vikram Sarabhai (plus a lotus made from lab-grown diamonds).
If all goes well, Skyroot will become the first Indian private company to reach orbit, joining private companies in the US and China.