India's First Private Orbital Rocket Vikram-1 to Launch July 18

Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian private space launch company, announced on Thursday that its Vikram-1 rocket will lift off on July 18, 2026, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The launch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. from the spaceport's first launch pad.

Vikram-1 is India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket. The company stated that all stages of the rocket have been integrated and stacked on the launch pad, with final integrated checks completed, including interface checks with telemetry ground stations and tracking radars.

Pawan Kumar Chandana, Co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace, said, '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.'

The Vikram-1 is a seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure. It uses in-house-developed propulsion systems, including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel rocket boosters. The rocket is designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Its first test flight targets a 450 km orbit at a 60° inclination.

The payloads for this mission include technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed, and Skyroot's own SCOPE, along with Cosmos Diamonds' artwork 'Cosmic Bloom' and a micro-art piece.

Mr. Chandana added, 'The small satellite launch market is deeply constrained on the supply side. At the same time, the demand for services enabled by satellites in space will only continue to grow, and that is where Skyroot's opportunity lies. The clearance of Vikram-1 for flight following rigorous testing is a defining milestone in India's space journey. This first test flight marks the beginning of Skyroot's aspiration to open space for all.'

Naga Bharath Daka, Co-founder and COO of Skyroot Aerospace, said the launch represents the hopes and work of around 1,000 people, contributions from over 400 suppliers, and nearly 3,000 days of resolve. 'This test flight will show us how every technology we have developed over the years performs in real-world conditions. With the in-flight data gathered from this mission, we will return to the shop floor to learn, improve, and build further. This test flight is the first step towards creating a reliable, on-demand launch company for the world from India.'