Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian spacetech unicorn, is set to launch the Vikram-1 rocket for its first orbital test flight, a mission dubbed 'Aagaman'. This significant undertaking represents a major leap for the private space company, transitioning from suborbital demonstrations to full orbital capability.
Proving Commercial Viability
Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace, emphasized the critical nature of the Vikram-1 mission. He stated that while the Vikram-S validated foundational propulsion systems and composite structures, Vikram-1 is a far more complex, multi-stage vehicle designed to reach orbital velocity. A successful launch will prove Skyroot's commercial product, demonstrating its ability to reliably place customer satellites into their intended orbits.
Chandana noted that the test flight will provide invaluable real-flight data, which no ground test can replicate. This data will be instrumental in refining subsequent vehicles and accelerating the company's path to commercial readiness. Skyroot currently possesses the capacity to build one Vikram-1 rocket per month across its Hyderabad campuses, with the second vehicle already in production.
Global Demand and India's Advantage
The CEO anticipates that international markets will account for approximately two-thirds of Skyroot's demand. He highlighted a global shortage of dedicated small satellite launch capacity, with significant funded programs in the US, Japan, Europe, and Southeast Asia. India, according to Chandana, is uniquely positioned to serve this demand, leveraging decades of trusted space experience, a cost-effective and largely indigenous supply chain, and its status as a reliable partner.
Domestically, India's growing satellite broadband market presents another substantial opportunity. Chandana explained that the nation's focus on sovereign, India-controlled constellations for critical national infrastructure will drive recurring demand for domestic launch providers, bolstering India's end-to-end space ecosystem.
Funding and Future Outlook
Fundraising for deep-tech companies like Skyroot has become more accessible. Chandana recalled the initial challenges in 2018 when a space policy and dedicated space tech funds were nonexistent. Today, with a proven track record, Skyroot successfully raised $60 million at a $1.1 billion pre-money valuation with both global and domestic investors.
While reusability is a long-term goal for higher tonnage, Chandana stated that expendable vehicles remain the most economical solution for the current small-satellite class and its required launch cadence. Skyroot's roadmap includes a reusable launch vehicle and the one-tonne-class Vikram-2, indicating a strategy for both market segments.
Reflecting on the journey, Chandana admitted underestimating the challenge of building the surrounding ecosystem—a supply chain, a trained talent pool, and fostering belief in the nascent private space sector—which proved as demanding as the engineering itself.
The global satellite launch market is projected to expand from $12 billion to $40 billion by 2035, with an estimated 16,900 small satellites needing launch services between 2026 and 2035. India aims for a $44 billion space economy by 2033, with reliable launch services forming its backbone. Chandana emphasized that consistent launch cadence, rather than a magic number of flights, is key to economic sustainability.
Ecosystem and Indigenous Development
Chandana identified high-end component and electronics supply chains (like space-grade semiconductors) and the downstream layer (commercializing satellite data) as India's weakest links in the space value chain. However, he lauded India's world-class upstream engineering talent.
The opening of ISRO facilities to private companies and the 2020 reforms, along with IN-SPACe, were foundational for Skyroot. Chandana clarified that Indian space startups complement ISRO, with the agency focusing on exploration and science, while industry scales routine commercial launches. Vikram-1 itself is approximately 90% indigenous, designed and built in India, with dependencies primarily on specialized electronic components and a few raw materials.