Skyroot's Vikram-1 aims for first private Indian orbital launch
India's first private rocket test flight set for July 12–August 4...
Skyroot Aerospace is poised to make history with the first test flight of its Vikram-1 rocket, scheduled between July 12 and August 4 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center. This mission would be the first private Indian attempt to reach orbit. The rocket uses three solid-propellant stages and a liquid-fueled fourth stage, designed to deliver nearly 500 kg to low-Earth orbit. Skyroot has raised approximately $160 million, including a $60 million round in May that pushed its valuation past $1 billion. The launch pad was originally built for India's government space program.
In other space news, Katalyst Space Technologies' Link servicing satellite launched Friday on the last scheduled flight of Northrop Grumman's Pegasus XL rocket. The air-launched Pegasus, a workhorse in the 1990s and 2000s, has been supplanted by cheaper options like SpaceX and Rocket Lab. Link will rendezvous with NASA's Swift astronomy satellite (launched in 2004, never designed for servicing) and attempt to raise its orbit to extend its mission. Meanwhile, NASA delivered braking engines for ESA's Rosalind Franklin Mars rover, set for launch in late 2028 after years of delays.
- Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 first test flight window: July 12–August 4, 2026
- Skyroot has raised ~$160M total, valuation >$1B after $60M round in May
- Final Pegasus XL flight launched Katalyst Link satellite to reboost NASA's Swift observatory
Why It Matters
India's first private orbital launch attempt signals a new commercial space era, while the last Pegasus flight marks a shift in small-launch economics.