India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket Vikram-1 set to liff off on July 18
Skyroot Aerospace is set to launch India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1, on July 18, 2026. The test flight aims to validate the vehicle's performance and propulsion systems while carrying several technology demonstration payloads into Low Earth Orbit.
Why it matters
The successful launch of a private orbital rocket marks a significant milestone for India's burgeoning private space sector and its ability to compete in the global small satellite launch market.
India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1 will be launched on July 18, 2026 , from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.
Private space launch company Skyroot Aerospace on Thursday (July 16, 2026) announced that it will attempt to launch Vikram-1 from the space port’s first launch pad at 11.30 a.m..
“We have done everything that could be done to test Vikram-1 on the ground. On July 18, we are eager to see how Vikram-1 performs in a real flight environment for the first time. This is our first test flight, and we will be getting valuable data from it. This will be foundational to Skyroot’s aspirations of establishing a launch cadence. We are excited to see this through,” Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-founder & CEO, Skyroot Aerospace.
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