Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated the team at Skyroot Aerospace after the successful launch of Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital rocket, describing it as “a defining moment in India’s space journey”.
“Spoke to the team of Skyroot Aerospace and congratulated them on the successful launch of Vikram-1. This is a defining moment in India’s space journey. The growing participation of our private sector is opening new frontiers and accelerating innovation. This achievement will encourage countless youngsters to dream bigger and innovate fearlessly,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
The Hyderabad-based company’s Vikram-1 rocket successfully reached orbit under Mission Aagaman, making India the third country after the United States and China to have a private company demonstrate orbital launch capability.
Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, the 24-metre carbon-composite rocket completed all planned flight stages before injecting its payloads into a nearly 450-km Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar described the mission as “truly historic”, saying it reflected the innovation and entrepreneurial drive of India’s youth backed by reforms in the country’s space sector.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh also hailed the success of India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, calling it a landmark achievement for the country’s commercial space ecosystem.
During the mission, the rocket’s first-stage solid motor, Kalam-1200, carried the vehicle through the densest part of the atmosphere before separating successfully. The second-stage Kalam-250 and third-stage Kalam-100 also performed as planned before the Orbital Adjustment Module (OAM) used its 3D-printed liquid engine to complete the final orbital insertion.
Designed to carry payloads of up to 350 kg to a 450-km Low Earth Orbit, Vikram-1 carried multiple payloads, including Diamond Lotus, a lab-grown diamond developed by Bengaluru-based Cosmos Diamonds. The mission also carried a handwritten postcard from the Prime Minister bearing the words “Vande Mataram”, along with handwritten messages from the Skyroot team, investors, policymakers and well-wishers from around the world.
(ANI)
