Hyderabad’s Skyroot Unveils Vikram-1: India’s First Private Orbital Rocket Ready for Launch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated Skyroot Aerospace’s Infinity campus in Hyderabad and unveiled Vikram-1, India’s first private orbital rocket. The rocket is designed to launch satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), marking a major milestone in India’s private space sector and commercial space capabilities.

​Vikram-1 is entirely designed and manufactured in India by Skyroot Aerospace, showcasing the country’s growing expertise in rocket engineering, propulsion systems, composite materials, avionics, and satellite launch integration. This achievement reinforces India’s ability to independently develop complex orbital launch vehicles.

The rocket is built to enable rapid, flexible, and cost-efficient satellite launches, offering domestic and international customers an opportunity for on-demand deployment of satellites into LEO. This makes Vikram-1 a crucial step in making India a competitive player in the global commercial space market.

The newly inaugurated Infinity campus, spread over 2 lakh square feet in Hyderabad, is capable of designing, developing, integrating, and testing multiple launch vehicles simultaneously. The facility allows Skyroot to build one Vikram-series orbital rocket every month, supporting the company’s vision of scalable and repeatable launch operations.

Vikram-1 represents a breakthrough in the private space sector, showing that Indian startups can now complement government efforts led by ISRO. It reflects the success of government reforms that have opened up India’s space ecosystem to private innovation and investment.

The development of Vikram-1 was led by a team of Gen-Z engineers, coders, designers, and scientists, demonstrating the rise of a new generation of talent in India’s space technology ecosystem. Their work on propulsion systems, composite materials, and rocket stages highlights India’s strength in cutting-edge engineering.

With Vikram-1, India is set to strengthen its presence in the global commercial satellite launch market, offering reliable solutions for earth observation, communication, and scientific missions in low Earth orbit. The rocket positions India as a preferred destination for private and international satellite launches.

Skyroot co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana said Vikram-1 is set for launch within two months, positioning it as India’s first private orbital rocket. The project has already created over 1,000 high-tech jobs, and Skyroot plans to invest Rs 1,000 crore to scale rapid, on-demand launch capabilities and strengthen India’s growing private space sector.