India’s First Private Orbital Rocket launch pad Vikram-1 is set to launch by August 4 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. It is India’s first privately built orbital rocket named Mission Aagaman(the Arrival) developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace.
The objective of Mission Aagaman is to collect real-time flight performance data across multiple systems. The launch of the Vikram-1 is scheduled window from July 12 to August 4, 2026.
What is Vikram-1 launch Vehicle?
Vikram-1 is a seven-story multi-stage small orbital launch vehicle that is designed for small satellite launches for the commercial purposes. It is named in honor of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai the father of the Indian Space Program.
The Skyroot company plans to transition into a rapid and high cadence commercial launch program.
Vikram-1 will function as a customized on-demand space taxi which is completely different from its predecessor, the Vikram-s a sub-orbital flight launched by Skyroot in November 2022. Vikram-1 is built to address the real time like reaching Earth's orbit and deploying payloads into space.
Key features of the Vikram-1
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Hight of the Rocket: 20–24 meters around a 7-storey building
Structure: All-carbon composite airframe
Payload Capacity: Up to 350 kg to Low Earth orbit amd 260 kg to Sun synchronous polar orbit.
Orbit: 450 km altitude at a 60-degree inclination
Configuration: 4-Stage launch vehicle where first three stages are solid and the last 4th stage is liquid.
Vikram-1 is based on the modern technology engineered by the Skyroot, the launch vehicle especially for the high-frequency manufacturing and cost efficiency includes
All Carbon composite body by replacing heavy metals with advance carbon composites which will reduce the structural mass of the rocket by allowing it to carry more fuel and heavier payloads.
The rocket has four-stage propulsion stage where stages 1, 2, and 3 is powered by Skyroot’s proprietary Kalam Series that is Kalam-1200, Kalam-250 and Kalam-100 all three are based on the solid fuel rocket system. And the stage 4 the upper or last stage is powered by Raman-I which is a liquid fuel engines.
All stages use 3D printed engine components and provide the precise maneuverability to inject satellites into their final orbits and uses the 3 D printed engine components.
The Vikram-1 rocket feature as autonomous, indigenous guidance, navigation and controlled algorithms.
Mission Aagaman
The objective of the Mission Aagaman is to capture real in flight performance data. The data will include acoustic vibration, thermal environment of supersonic atmospheric ascent and stage separation which can not be simulated on the ground.
The upcoming maiden flight of Vikram-1 is demonstration of hybrid technology and partially commercial flight. The rocket will be carrying a mix of payloads from both domestic Indian startups and international customers.