Hyderabad: India's first privately built orbital rocket moved a step closer to launch as Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy flagged off Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 flight hardware to Sriharikota. The company is targeting a June launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Skyroot had already shipped the rocket's lower three stages to Sriharikota, while avionics and the uppermost stage were being tested at its Max-Q headquarters near Hyderabad airport. Calling the flag-off a major milestone for Telangana's aerospace ambitions, Revanth Reddy said Vikram-1 was entirely designed and developed in Hyderabad, underlining the state's growing role in India's aerospace and space technology ecosystem.
Government Support and Vision
"Skyroot has developed India's first privately built orbital rocket to carry satellites into space. The company launched its first rocket in 2022, and reaching the stage of orbital launch in such a short time is a remarkable achievement," he said. Industries and IT Minister Sridhar Babu and senior officials were also present on the occasion.
The chief minister said Telangana ranked first in India's aerospace sector and highlighted the presence of global majors such as Boeing, Airbus and Safran. He said the state aimed to become a global aerospace hub by 2047, with aerospace identified as a key growth engine. Linking the sector's rise to the surge in the state's exports, he cited Centre's data showing Telangana recorded the highest growth in engineering goods exports among Indian states at 117.9% between 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Aircraft parts and defence equipment were among the biggest contributors, he said, reflecting rapid growth in advanced manufacturing. He added that the government was focusing on building a skilled workforce for aerospace and other high-technology sectors.
Technical Details and Launch Plans
Skyroot Aerospace CEO and co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana and co-founder and COO Naga Bharath Daka said the final stage of Vikram-1 was expected to reach Sriharikota within a week, after which the rocket would be integrated and assembled for launch at the spaceport there. Chandana said the company was in discussions with IN-SPACe and ISRO on the launch window and will be announcing a launch date soon.
"With Vikram-1, we aim to open up space by enabling on-demand satellite launches for a fast-growing global market that is currently dominated by a handful of companies globally," he added. "We will be announcing the launch window soon," he said, adding that after the first test launch of Vikram-1, the company will have more test launches coming up, after which it expects to reach a cadence of producing one rocket a month from its newly opened Infinity facility, which is also located near the airport.
While initial Vikram launches will carry partial payloads, the company aims to eventually reach around 300 kg payload capacity per rocket. Vikram-1 is a multistage orbital launch vehicle designed to place small satellites of up to 350 kg into low Earth orbit. About seven-storey tall, it uses an all-carbon composite structure and in-house propulsion systems, including 3D-printed engines and solid-fuel boosters.
Company Background
The startup, which has already raised around $100 million so far, is a unicorn in the making and had hit a valuation of around Rs 4,000 crore when it raised its last round of funding in 2023.
