Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based space technology firm Skyroot Aerospace on Thursday announced a primary launch window between July 12 and August 4 for the highly anticipated maiden test flight of its Vikram-1 launch vehicle. Representing India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, the upcoming historic mission has been officially named “Agaman.” The definitive lift-off date remains dependent on the final completion of technical assembly, comprehensive system testing at the integration facility, favourable weather conditions, and necessary safety and range clearances from authorities at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The “Agaman” mission is structurally designed as both a technical demonstration and a critical learning experience for the aerospace startup. The flight intends to gather vital data across propulsion mechanics, stage separation sequences, guidance systems, navigation, and overall vehicle control during active flight. Vikram-1 stands as a seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital vehicle featuring an advanced all-carbon composite structure. It is powered by entirely in-house developed propulsion systems, which uniquely incorporate cutting-edge 3D-printed engines alongside high-thrust solid-fuel rocket boosters.
Engineered specifically to cater to the growing global satellite market, Vikram-1 is capable of transporting small satellites weighing up to 350 kilograms into Low Earth Orbit. For this introductory test flight, the team is targeting a precise deployment orbit at an altitude of 450 kilometres with a 60-degree orbital inclination. According to Skyroot Aerospace co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Pawan Kumar Chandana, the primary goal is to analyze exactly how the vehicle performs from the moment of lift-off through every complex phase of its ascent, capturing flight data that simply cannot be replicated through standard ground testing procedures.
This landmark orbital attempt marks the second major milestone for Skyroot Aerospace, following the historic suborbital flight of its Vikram-S rocket on November 18, 2022, which became the first private rocket to successfully reach space from Indian soil. Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Naga Bharath Daka emphasized that while the 2022 mission successfully validated the baseline of their technology stack, Vikram-1 represents their largest step forward yet toward establishing a highly reliable, high-cadence commercial launch programme built in India to serve clients around the world.
