Vikram-1
Indian small-lift launch vehicle developed by Skyroot Aerospace
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Vikram-1 (Sanskrit, lit. 'Brave', also known as Vikram-I) is a four-stage, expendable orbital small-lift launch vehicle developed by Skyroot Aerospace. Its first three stages are solid stages, while the fourth stage is a liquid stage, powered by hypergolic propellant.
Vikram-1 on the First Launch Pad at SDSC SHAR | |
| Function | Small-lift launch vehicle |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Skyroot Aerospace |
| Country of origin | India |
| Size | |
| Height | 24 m (79 ft) |
| Diameter | 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Stages | 4 |
| Capacity | |
| Payload to LEO (500 km @ 45° inclination) | |
| Mass | 1: 350 kg (770 lb) 1U: 550 kg (1,210 lb) |
| Payload to SSPO (500 km) | |
| Mass | 260 kg (570 lb) |
| Associated rockets | |
| Comparable | |
| Launch history | |
| Status | Active |
| Launch sites | |
| Total launches | 1 |
| Success(es) | 1 |
| First flight | 18 July 2026 |
| First stage | |
| Diameter | 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Powered by | Kalam-1200 |
| Maximum thrust | 1,000 kN (220,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Second stage | |
| Diameter | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Powered by | Kalam-250 |
| Maximum thrust | 250 kN (56,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Third stage | |
| Diameter | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Powered by | Kalam-100 |
| Maximum thrust | 100 kN (22,000 lbf) |
| Propellant | Solid |
| Fourth stage | |
| Diameter | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Powered by | 4 x Raman-1, 1 x Raman-2, & 4 x Raman Mini |
| Maximum thrust | 5.26 kN (1,180 lbf) |
| Propellant | N2O4/MMH |
The first flight, known as Aagaman, flew on 18 July 2026. The launch was a success, making India the third country with a private orbital launch capability, after the U.S. and China.[1][2]
Development
Skyroot Aerospace unveiled the Vikram-1 launch vehicle in October 2023 at its MAX-Q headquarters in Hyderabad.[3] The rocket is named after Vikram Sarabhai, often described as the father of the Indian space program.[4] The company stated that the rocket was developed to serve the growing global small satellite launch market.[5]
The vehicle's development followed the successful launch of the suborbital demonstrator Vikram-S in November 2022, which made Skyroot the first Indian private company to launch a rocket from ISRO's launch facilities.[6]
In May 2022, Skyroot completed a full-duration static test of the Kalam-100 solid rocket stage, a component of Vikram-1. Additional qualification tests, including stage separation tests and avionics validation, were carried out through 2024 and 2025.[7]
In November 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the flight-ready configuration of Vikram-1 during the inauguration of Skyroot's Infinity Campus in Hyderabad.[8]
Design
Vikram-1 is a four-stage orbital launch vehicle approximately 20 metres (65 ft 7 in) tall and 1.7 metres (5 ft 7 in) in diameter.[9] The first three stages use solid propulsion, while the upper kick stage uses liquid propulsion for orbital insertion and adjustment manoeuvres.[10]
The rocket incorporates carbon-composite airframes intended to reduce structural mass. Skyroot has also stated that the vehicle uses 3D-printed liquid engines and modular avionics systems.[11]
The Kalam-250 has thrust vector control for steering. The OAM (Orbital Adjustment Module) upper stage features RCS thrusters for attitude control.[12]
Skyroot advertises Vikram-1 as a responsive launch system capable of rapid integration and launch operations with minimal launch infrastructure requirements.[13] It is capable of conducting dedicated launches or rideshare missions.[5]
Launch history
The inaugural flight of this launch vehicle was the Aagaman (Sanskrit, 'Arrival') mission on 18 July 2026, which successfully launched miniaturized satellites into low Earth orbit.[10][14][15] Skyroot described Aagaman as a test flight and stated that it planned to conduct additional test flights before beginning routine commercial launches. The mission's payload was injected into orbit approximately 15 minutes after liftoff.[16]
| Date / time (UTC) | Flight | Rocket (configuration) |
Launch site | Payload | Orbit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 July 2026 06:35:30 |
Test Flight-1 | Vikram-1 | Satish Dhawan FLP | LEO | Success | |
| 'Mission Aagaman', the maiden flight of Vikram-1. Cosmoserve Space's robotic arm Embrace and an on-orbit demonstration from German company DCUBED were hosted on the upper stage of the mission. The rocket successfully reached orbit on its first attempt.[14] | ||||||
| Q1 2027 | TBA | Vikram-1U | Satish Dhawan | TBA | LEO | Planned |
| Maiden flight of Vikram-1U configuration of Vikram-1 with additional solid rocket boosters.[19] | ||||||
