Skyroot closer to Vikram-I launch: Private rocket getting stacked at Isro launch pad
Skyroot Aerospace has stacked the first stage of its Vikram-I rocket at ISRO's First Launch Pad in Sriharikota. The milestone brings India's first privately built orbital launch vehicle closer to its maiden mission.
Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace has crossed another major milestone in its journey to orbit, announcing that the first stage of its Vikram-I rocket has been successfully stacked at the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The development marks a historic first for India's private space sector. According to Skyroot, it is the first time a privately designed, developed and manufactured orbital launch vehicle has been stacked on ISRO's First Launch Pad, a facility that has hosted some of the country's most iconic missions, including Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter launches.
The company shared images of the towering rocket stage being lifted into position, calling it a significant step towards the maiden launch of Vikram-I.
"Piece by piece, Vikram-I is coming alive — each stage carefully lifted, aligned and integrated into a single flight-ready rocket," Skyroot said in an X post.
Rocket stacking is one of the final and most critical phases before launch. During the process, individual stages, payload structures and other components are assembled vertically on the launch pad with millimetre-level precision.
Once fully integrated, the vehicle undergoes a series of electrical, mechanical and fueling readiness checks before the launch countdown can begin.
Vikram-I is Skyroot's first orbital launch vehicle and has been designed to carry small satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Named after Indian space pioneer Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the rocket represents one of the country's most ambitious privately built launch systems since the Indian space sector was opened to private participation.
The stacking milestone comes nearly three years after Skyroot made history with Vikram-S, India's first privately developed rocket to fly to space, in November 2022.
Since then, the Hyderabad-based company has carried out a series of successful engine tests, stage qualification trials and launch vehicle integration activities in preparation for its first orbital mission.
The upcoming launch of Vikram-I is expected to be a defining moment for India's growing commercial space industry. A successful mission would demonstrate that private Indian companies are capable of building and launching orbital-class rockets, opening new opportunities in the rapidly expanding global small satellite launch market.
By providing access to launch infrastructure at Sriharikota, ISRO is enabling Indian startups to accelerate the development of indigenous launch vehicles while expanding the country's commercial space capabilities.
Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace has crossed another major milestone in its journey to orbit, announcing that the first stage of its Vikram-I rocket has been successfully stacked at the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The development marks a historic first for India's private space sector. According to Skyroot, it is the first time a privately designed, developed and manufactured orbital launch vehicle has been stacked on ISRO's First Launch Pad, a facility that has hosted some of the country's most iconic missions, including Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter launches.
The company shared images of the towering rocket stage being lifted into position, calling it a significant step towards the maiden launch of Vikram-I.
"Piece by piece, Vikram-I is coming alive — each stage carefully lifted, aligned and integrated into a single flight-ready rocket," Skyroot said in an X post.
Rocket stacking is one of the final and most critical phases before launch. During the process, individual stages, payload structures and other components are assembled vertically on the launch pad with millimetre-level precision.
Once fully integrated, the vehicle undergoes a series of electrical, mechanical and fueling readiness checks before the launch countdown can begin.
Vikram-I is Skyroot's first orbital launch vehicle and has been designed to carry small satellites into low-Earth orbit.
Named after Indian space pioneer Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the rocket represents one of the country's most ambitious privately built launch systems since the Indian space sector was opened to private participation.
The stacking milestone comes nearly three years after Skyroot made history with Vikram-S, India's first privately developed rocket to fly to space, in November 2022.
Since then, the Hyderabad-based company has carried out a series of successful engine tests, stage qualification trials and launch vehicle integration activities in preparation for its first orbital mission.
The upcoming launch of Vikram-I is expected to be a defining moment for India's growing commercial space industry. A successful mission would demonstrate that private Indian companies are capable of building and launching orbital-class rockets, opening new opportunities in the rapidly expanding global small satellite launch market.
By providing access to launch infrastructure at Sriharikota, ISRO is enabling Indian startups to accelerate the development of indigenous launch vehicles while expanding the country's commercial space capabilities.
