New Delhi: India scripted a historic chapter in its space journey on Saturday as Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched Vikram-1, the country's first privately developed orbital rocket, under Mission Aagaman, making India only the third nation after the United States and China to have a private company capable of launching a rocket into orbit. 

The landmark mission lifted off from the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, marking a major milestone for India's rapidly expanding private space sector.

“LIFT-OFF! Vikram-1 has left the pad at Sriharikota. India's first privately developed orbital rocket is flying. History is being made,” Skyroot Aerospace said in a post on social media platform X.

“Safe tower clearance. At T+10 seconds, Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 has cleared the launch tower,” it added.

Named after Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of India's space programme, the four-stage Vikram-1 launch vehicle is designed to provide rapid and on-demand launch services for small satellites.

The mission is also expected to strengthen India's position in the global commercial launch market.

The seven-storey rocket is headed for a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an altitude of about 450 km. With the successful launch, India joined an exclusive group of nations where private companies have demonstrated orbital launch capability.

Skyroot Aerospace has described its long-term vision as offering a "cab service to space", enabling customers to book dedicated launches to place satellites into specific orbits or support future space missions with greater flexibility and speed.

Mission Aagaman marks Skyroot's second space mission after the successful launch of the Vikram-S suborbital rocket under Operation Prarambh in November 2022, which became the first privately built rocket to reach space from Indian soil and paved the way for India's private launch ecosystem.

Ahead of the mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had termed the launch "a historic new frontier for India's space journey" and extended his best wishes to the Skyroot Aerospace team.

In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said the mission reflected the talent, determination and entrepreneurial spirit of India's youth while showcasing how the country's space sector reforms are unlocking new opportunities for innovation and enterprise.

(IANS)