Skyroot Aerospace to Launch Vikram-1 Orbital Rocket in April 2026

Key facts

• Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian space startup founded in 2018, is scheduled to debut its Vikram-1 orbital launch vehicle in April 2026.
• The Vikram-1 rocket is designed to deliver a payload of approximately 350 kg to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO).
• The company is developing a second vehicle, Vikram-2, which will utilise a cryogenic upper stage to increase payload capacity to 1,100 kg.
• Skyroot Aerospace employs advanced technologies including solid propellant boosters, carbon composites, and 3D printed engines.
• The firm has invested in capital expenditure to establish an in-house production capacity of 12 rockets per year.
• For the 2026 financial year, the company aims to conduct between four and six launches, depending on launch port availability.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is transitioning operational activities in satellite manufacturing and launching to the private sector under India’s new space policy.
• The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (InSPACe) acts as the regulatory and promotional body for the domestic space sector.
• The Indian government expects to require launches for approximately 100 small satellites over the next five to six years.