"India's space ambitions soar to new heights": Jaishankar hails Vikram-1 launch
Sriharikota, July 18
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday hailed the successful launch of Vikram-1, calling it a historic moment for India's space sector.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said the launch of "India's first privately developed launch vehicle" by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace was "truly historic".
"India's space ambitions soar to new heights! The successful launch of #Vikram1, India's first privately developed launch vehicle, by #SkyrootAirspace @SkyrootA today is truly historic. The rocket is a reflection of what can be achieved when the innovation & entrepreneurial drive of India's youth are backed by the bold reforms of PM @narendramodi's vision." EAM Jaishankar wrote on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace after Vikram-1 successfully reached orbit following its final burn and injected its payloads into a nearly 450-km Low Earth Orbit, making India the third country in the world with private orbital launch capability.
Union Minister of State (MoS) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh also celebrated the successful mission, highlighting the achievement of India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket.
Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 has successfully reached orbit, marking the maiden flight of India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket.
The rocket completed its final burn and injected its payloads into a nearly 450-km orbit, making India the third country in the world with private orbital launch capability.
The mission, named "Mission Aagaman", was executed from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The 24-metre carbon-composite rocket completed all planned flight stages, including stage separations and the firing of its Orbital Adjustment Module (OAM).
The Orbital Adjustment Module fired its 3D-printed liquid engine for the final push to orbit. The module is designed to start, stop and restart in space.
During the flight--Kalam-1200, the solid first stage carried the rocket through the thickest part of the atmosphere before separating cleanly. The payload fairing was then separated, exposing the satellites to space for the first time.
The second stage, Kalam-250, completed its burn and separated, followed by the ignition of Kalam-100, the smallest and highest-flying solid stage of Vikram-1.
The solid-propulsion phase concluded with the separation of Stage 3, paving the way for the Orbital Adjustment Module to complete the mission.
The Vikram-1 rocket, powered by three solid-fuel stages and a liquid orbital adjustment module, is designed to deploy payloads up to 350 kg into a 450-km Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The maiden flight carried multiple payloads, including the "Diamond Lotus", a lab-grown diamond from Bengaluru-based Cosmos Diamonds.
Among the payloads on Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 is something truly special--a handwritten postcard from PM Modi with the words, "Vande Mataram". It travels to space alongside handwritten messages from the Skyroot team, investors, policymakers, and well-wishers across the globe, making Mission Aagaman a celebration carried by many hands and shared by millions.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is genuinely impressive. As someone who follows space tech, I've seen how hard orbital insertion is for new rockets. Vikram-1's achievement with the 3D-printed liquid engine restarting in space is cutting-edge. But I have to wonder: can Skyroot scale up fast enough to compete with Rocket Lab or SpaceX? The payload of 350 kg is decent for a small launcher, but the market is getting crowded. India needs to ensure these startups have a clear path to commercial success, not just glory flights.
What a day for India! 🎉 First time a private company from India puts a satellite in orbit, and they even included a lab-grown diamond from Bengaluru — that's some smart marketing. Proud of our desi innovators. But I hope the government doesn't take credit for everything; these engineers worked hard despite bureaucratic hurdles. Also, can we get more investment in space education so more kids can dream of building rockets instead of just software?
As an American, I'm genuinely impressed. India is now the third country with private orbital capacity, which is no small feat. The carbon-composite rocket structure and 3D-printed liquid engine show real engineering depth. However, I'm curious about the payload cost per kg — without that data, it's hard to know if this is commercially viable or more of a national pride project. Still, congrats to Skyroot and India's space sector!
So happy to see Indian women and youth involved in this! I read that Skyroot has a diverse team, and that's what we need — not just talk about women empowerment but real opportunities. The "Mission Aagaman" name feels fitting for a new chapter in India's space story. 🚀 My only concern: will these achievements trickle down to better science labs in our schools? Or will it remain an elite dream for metro cities? We need grassroots inspiration too.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.