July 18 was a historic day for India's space sector. According to reports, Skyroot Aerospace's "Vikram-1" rocket lifted off successfully from Sriharikota and reached orbit.
Mission highlights
- Liftoff at about 12:05:30 pm IST
- Reached a 450-km orbit roughly 15 minutes later
- Payloads deployed on schedule; mission control called it a "grand success"
Why it is historic
Per reports, this is the first private Indian rocket to reach orbit from Indian soil. India thus becomes the third country, after the United States and China, with private orbital launch capability. Skyroot plans another test flight in 2026 before commercial operations in 2027.
