16.12.2025
A model of the 75-feet-tall Vikram-1 rocket placed at Skyroot's Hyderabad facility. Photograph: (Skyroot Aerospace)
The journey so far...
In November 2022, Skyroot successfully carried out the test launch of its Vikram-S rocket, a small experimental rocket meant to fly to the Earth's upper atmosphere. Fundamentally, it was not very different from the rockets that INCOSPAR (nascent ISRO) launched in the 1960s for experimental purposes and validating the basics of rocketry. The Vikram-S marked the first flight of a privately designed and developed Indian rocket, and a small step towards bigger ambitions. It must be emphasised that this launch was not destined for space and did not carry any satellite for placing in orbit around the earth. However, this was a first step for the up-and-coming Indian private rocket maker.
It was in October 2023 that Skyroot first "revealed" their 7-storey-tall Vikram-I spacefaring rocket, in the presence of Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who handles the space portfolio, among others. Back then, Skyroot had publicly announced carrying out their maiden space launch sometime in 2024. However, their plan has seen multiple delays, and the maiden space launch is now expected in the first six months of 2026.
Queried about not meeting their timelines, Pawan explained that the first launch is always very challenging and that they have been facing "unexpected glitches". He elaborated that the average time for a new rocket development is about ten years, whereas their team has been attempting to compress timelines, as they began working on their spacefaring rocket only after 2022, and they hope to fly it to space in 2026.
For this, Skyroot is also conducting technical reviews with ISRO to ensure everything goes smoothly. "In a few months.... we will announce soon," said Pawan, on a question regarding their highly anticipated maiden launch to space.
When asked about the difference between the rocket that was "revealed" in 2023 by the junior minister and the rocket "unveiled" in November 2025 by Prime Minister Modi, Pawan explained that the latest one is a flight model, and the 2023 version was a prototype/engineering model. He added that the model showcased in November 2025 would be the actual rocket that would launch on the first orbital mission.
First orbital launch is crucial...
With its additional rocket-making facility in Hyderabad, Skyroot aims to gradually scale up manufacturing capacity to build one rocket a month, and meet the growing global demand for small rockets that launch small satellites. However, Pawan admits that the outcome of the first launch is crucial. He points out that it is extremely rare or near-impossible for a private firm to be completely successful in its first spacefaring rocket launch.
Typically, all companies/space agencies attempting to launch a new rocket to space would consider their first three launches as developmental flights. These fights offer crucial data and learning opportunities for them to refine the technology and make necessary changes for the future. Skyroot is also considering that they would perform three developmental flights. For instance, even ISRO considers the first three flights of every new rocket variant as development flights. After completing the necessary number of development flights, the rocket is formally declared operational.
In their first developmental flight, Skyroot would be carrying a few small satellites belonging to paying customers. However, given the complex nature of the maiden launch and the risks involved, the customers have been offered an "attractive rate", Pawan said.
Skyroot's first launch would be to low Earth orbit, about 500 km above the Earth's surface. While the rocket is meant to carry a 300kg payload 500 km above the earth, the maiden flight would only involve a small payload that is a fraction of 300 kg. This is because the company wants to launch limited payloads and test the rocket in the initial flights, before unlocking the full lifting power of their rocket.
Skyroot is well on track to be the first Indian private firm to launch its own rocket to space, but they already has established competitors within India and abroad in the small-rocket market(rockets that can carry less than 500kgs to Low Earth orbit). Skyroot considers American firm Rocket Lab as its primary competitor, because Rocket Lab's Electron is among the small rockets that are dominating commercial launches to Low Earth orbit. Electron is capable of launching around 320kg to a 500 km orbit. Similarly, ISRO's SSLV, which can carry about 500kg to a 500 km orbit, is also among the competitors to Skyroot's Vikram-I. SSLV has flown thrice over the last three years, whereas Electron has been flying at least a dozen times annually, in recent years.
What more needs to be accomplished before the maiden launch...
Before Skyroot launches to space, the company has to carry out vibration tests of some parts of its rocket, and also carry out a review with ISRO, Pawan shared. This includes interfacing their rocket with the ISRO launchpad and Mission control systems in Sriharikota.
For the next couple of years, Skyroot plans to launch to Low Earth orbit from Sriharikota. Once the ISRO spaceport at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu becomes operational, Skyroot could also use the new facility for more efficient launches to Sun Synchronous Polar orbits, where Earth-imaging satellites are placed.
Skyroot will also be required to take launch liability insurance to compensate in case of any major catastrophes at the launchpad or mid-flight. Even during their earlier upper atmospheric mission, Skyroot had taken a launch liability insurance to cover any damages that may arise.
Until the year 2020, the Indian Government's ISRO was the only agency that was allowed to design, develop, build and launch rockets and satellites from India. The Indian Government's "Space reforms" that were gradually rolled out from the year 2020, enabled private firms to also compete in the global space sector(estimated to be around $450bn), where India has a share of barely 2 per cent.
Quelle: WION