In A Historic Fleet, India Successfully Launches Its 1st Private Space Rocket 'Vikram-1'

Hyderabad-based

space startup Skyroot Aerospace on Saturday created history with the launch of its first orbital launch vehicle, Vikram-1, marking a major milestone for India’s rapidly expanding private space sector.After a planned internal hold, Vikram-1's historic launch took place at 12:05 pm from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Vikram-1 Will Reach Speed 5-Times-Faster Than Sound

After a historic launch, Vikram-1 will cross the speed of sound in seconds. Moments after liftoff, Vikram-1 will rapidly pick up speed, crossing the speed of sound, called Mach 1, just 25 seconds into flight.By 1 minute and 30 seconds, the rocket is expected to reach Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound, before its first stage separates, according to Skyroot's mission profile.

Vikram-1 Set For Historic Launch

The test flight of Vikram-1 is expected to mark India’s entry into the global private orbital launch market. Developed entirely by a private Indian company, Vikram-1 is the country’s first privately built orbital launch vehicle and represents a significant step towards strengthening India’s commercial space capabilities.Ahead of the launch, Skyroot Aerospace said all necessary airspace and maritime clearances have been secured. Authorities have also notified restricted airspace and maritime zones along the rocket’s flight path and impact corridor to facilitate the mission.'Mission Aagaman' will be Skyroot’s second space mission after the successful launch of the Vikram-S suborbital rocket on November 18, 2022, which became the first privately built rocket to reach space from Indian soil.