Vikram-1: Skyroot’s Maiden Orbital Launch, Mission Aagaman
Why in the news
A privately built Indian rocket reached orbit on its first try, and the mission was declared a grand success with propulsion, avionics and GNC validated.
Mission facts
- Name: Mission Aagaman (Sanskrit for arrival).
- Lift-off: 12:05 p.m. IST, 18 July 2026, after a 35-minute delay for a glitch at T-minus 5 minutes.
- Orbit: 450 km low Earth orbit reached around 15 minutes later; inclination 60 degrees.
- Ranking: India joins the USA and China in private orbital launch capability.
Vikram-1 profile
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Four-stage expendable small-lift vehicle |
| Upper stage | Liquid Orbit Adjustment Module, fired about 6 minutes |
| Size | About 20 m tall, 1.7 m wide |
| Build | Carbon composite body, 3D-printed engines |
| Payload | Up to 350 kg to LEO |
| Naming | Honours Dr Vikram Sarabhai; engines Kalam-100 and Kalam-250 honour Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam |
About Skyroot
- Hyderabad startup founded by ex-ISRO engineers Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka.
- Flew suborbital Vikram-S (Mission Prarambh) on 18 November 2022.
Exam angle
- Launch site: Sriharikota.
- Predecessor: Vikram-S.