Vikram-1 rocket is set to launch by Skyroot Aerospace this Saturday, July 18, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The mission is called “Mission Aagaman,” and it’s a big deal, it marks Skyroot’s first attempt to actually put a rocket into orbit.
A handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the words “Vande Mataram” written on it, will travel to space along with the rocket.
Skyroot had earlier tested a smaller rocket called Vikram-S back in 2022, which was a suborbital flight (meaning it went up but didn’t reach orbit). This new launch takes things a step further, and if successful, it’ll be a major milestone for India’s private space industry.
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Vikram-1 set to carry a message from Earth
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handwritten postcard, carrying the words “Vande Mataram,” will be one of the special payloads flying aboard Vikram-1. It won’t travel alone, handwritten notes from Skyroot Aerospace’s team members, investors, policymakers, and well-wishers from around the world will accompany it into space.
Sharing a video of these messages ahead of the July 18 launch, Skyroot Aerospace wrote: “Among the payloads on Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 is something truly special, a handwritten postcard from Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the words, ‘Vande Mataram’.”
The company added, “It travels to space alongside handwritten messages from our team, investors, policymakers, and well-wishers across the globe, making Mission Aagaman a celebration carried by many hands and shared by millions.”
Mission Aagaman
This mission will be Skyroot’s first attempt to send its rocket all the way into orbit. It’s expected to provide valuable data that will help the company build a dependable commercial launch service for small satellites in the future.
Vikram-1 is a massive rocket, as tall as a seven-storey building, built in multiple stages. It’s designed to carry satellites weighing up to 350 kg into low Earth orbit.
On this first flight, the rocket will try to place its payloads into orbit roughly 450 km above Earth, at a 60-degree inclination. Vikram-1 is made almost entirely of carbon composite material and runs on propulsion technology built in-house by Skyroot, including 3D-printed rocket engines and solid-fuel boosters.
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FAQs
Q: What is Vikram-1?
It’s Skyroot Aerospace’s multi-stage orbital rocket, standing about seven storeys tall, built to carry small satellites (up to 350 kg) into low Earth orbit.
Q: When and where is it launching?
July 18, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
