India's Space Ambitions Soar with Vikram-1 Rocket Reveal
In a significant boost to India's private space sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually unveiled the Vikram-1 orbital rocket and inaugurated Skyroot Aerospace's new Infinity Campus in Hyderabad on Thursday. The event marks a pivotal moment for the country's space technology capabilities, with the Prime Minister highlighting India's advancements in this critical field.
Skyroot's Infinity Campus: Manufacturing Hub for New Space Age
The newly constructed Infinity Campus spans an impressive 2,00,000 square feet and represents a comprehensive facility for designing, developing, integrating, and testing multiple launch vehicles. This state-of-the-art infrastructure enables Skyroot Aerospace to achieve a remarkable production capacity of one orbital rocket per month, positioning India as a serious contender in the global space manufacturing landscape.
Founded by IIT alumni and former ISRO scientists Pawan Chandana and Bharath Daka, Skyroot Aerospace has emerged as a trailblazer in India's private space industry. The company made history in November 2022 by launching Vikram-S, the country's first privately developed sub-orbital rocket, from the ISRO facility in Sriharikota.
Vikram-1 Technical Specifications and Capabilities
The Vikram-1 represents India's first private orbital-class launch vehicle, named after the legendary space pioneer Vikram Sarabhai. This four-stage rocket is specifically designed to serve the growing small satellite market with rapid and cost-effective launch solutions.
Standing 20 metres tall with a diameter of 1.7 metres, Vikram-1 generates 1,200 kN of thrust using an all-carbon composite structure that provides exceptional strength while maintaining lightweight efficiency. The rocket's design prioritizes simplicity, reliability, and the ability to launch within 24 hours from any location.
The propulsion system features solid-fuelled first three stages for robust initial thrust, complemented by a hypergolic liquid upper stage that enables precise orbital manoeuvres. Among its most innovative features are 3D-printed engines that reduce weight by 50 percent and cut production time by 80 percent.
Vikram-1's payload capacity includes deploying up to 350 kg into low Earth orbit (LEO) and 260 kg into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). More specific capabilities include 290 kg for a 500 km SSO and 480 kg for a 500 km LEO at 45-degree inclination.
Proven Readiness and Future Prospects
The rocket has already undergone successful critical trials, including the Kalam-1200 proof-pressure testing and payload-fairing separation tests, demonstrating its operational readiness. With its debut scheduled for early 2026, Vikram-1 is poised to capture opportunities in the expanding small-satellite market, coinciding with projections of a $77 billion Indian space economy by 2030.
Industry experts have praised this development as transformative for India's space capabilities. Lt Gen (Retd) A K Bhatt, Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), noted that Skyroot's journey from Vikram-S to Vikram-I demonstrates how Indian startups are building end-to-end launch capabilities for the global small-satellite market.
Krishanu Acharya, CEO of Suhora Technologies, emphasized that having reliable indigenous access to orbit is fundamental for the entire downstream industry working with space data applications in defence, disaster management, and environmental monitoring.
The Prime Minister also reinforced the government's commitment to fostering research opportunities for youth, referencing the establishment of the National Research Foundation to support modern research in universities, signaling continued institutional support for India's growing space technology ecosystem.
