India's Skyroot Vikram-1 Reaches Orbit on Debut Commercial Launch

Skyroot Aerospace completed India's first fully commercial satellite launch on Saturday when its Vikram-1 rocket reached a 280-mile-high orbit following liftoff from Sriharikota Island around midday local time. The launch was delayed more than half an hour to resolve a last-minute technical problem before the countdown resumed and the rocket lifted off from India's primary spaceport in the Bay of Bengal. Indian space officials celebrated the debut flight as a 'grand success' after the four-stage rocket reached an orbit approximately 280 miles high at an inclination of 60 degrees to the equator, quite close to preflight predictions.

Vikram-1 Executes Four-Stage Ascent to Orbit

The Vikram-1 lifted off from India's primary spaceport on Sriharikota Island around midday local time. The launch was delayed more than a half-hour to resolve a last-minute technical problem. The countdown resumed, culminating in the command to ignite Vikram-1's solid-fueled first stage booster to propel the rocket off the launch pad. Three solid-fueled rocket motors fired in succession to reach space, then a small liquid-fueled fourth stage ignited and accelerated to orbital velocity, some 17,000 mph. The rocket reached an orbit approximately 280 miles (450 kilometers) high at an inclination of 60 degrees to the equator, quite close to preflight predictions.

Skyroot Rocket Matches Rocket Lab's Small Satellite Launch Capability

Vikram-1 is modest in size compared to India's larger workhorse rockets. Skyroot's rocket stands about 72 feet (22 meters) tall, with the capability to place payloads of up to 770 pounds (350 kilograms) into low-Earth orbit. This makes Vikram-1 somewhat larger than the Electron launch vehicle developed by Rocket Lab, the world's most successful dedicated small satellite launcher. The flight on Saturday went off without any major problems.

FAQ

What did Skyroot Aerospace achieve on Saturday? Skyroot Aerospace completed India's first fully commercial satellite launch when its Vikram-1 rocket reached a 280-mile-high orbit following liftoff from Sriharikota Island around midday local time.

How does Vikram-1 compare to other small satellite launchers? Vikram-1 stands about 72 feet tall with the capability to place payloads of up to 770 pounds into low-Earth orbit, making it somewhat larger than Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle, the world's most successful dedicated small satellite launcher.

What caused the launch delay on Saturday? The launch was delayed more than half an hour to resolve a last-minute technical problem before the countdown resumed and the rocket lifted off from India's primary spaceport.