Skyroot Aerospace is set to launch its Vikram-1 rocket from Sriharikota on July 18, 2026, a mission that would make India the third country after the United States and China to achieve a private orbital launch. The Mission Aagaman flight aims to reach low Earth orbit in a 16-minute flight, carrying six payloads including a robotic arm for space debris removal and a German company's satellite. A handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi bearing the words 'Vande Mataram' will also travel aboard the vehicle.
The launch follows India's 2020 decision to open its space sector to private companies. The country's space industry is now valued at more than $8.4 billion, with over 400 startups operating in the field. Skyroot, which previously conducted a suborbital flight in 2022, plans monthly rocket production at its Hyderabad factory and two additional test flights before commercial operations begin.