Launch
Skyroot Aerospace
Hyderabad launch company whose Vikram-1 rocket made India's first private orbital flight in July 2026, after raising about $160 million including a $60 million unicorn round.
Skyroot Aerospace builds on-demand small-satellite launch vehicles under the Vikram name. Founded in 2018 by former ISRO engineers Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, the Hyderabad company became the first Indian private firm to send a rocket to space when its all-carbon-composite Vikram-S flew the suborbital Mission Prarambh in November 2022, reaching about 89.5 km.
Its orbital rocket, Vikram-1, is a four-stage small-lift launcher — three solid-fuel stages topped by a liquid-fuelled kick stage — sized to carry up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit. It reached the pad more than three years behind the company's own schedule: in May 2022 chief executive Pawan Kumar Chandana said the first commercial orbital mission would follow in early 2023, at the November 2025 factory opening the target had become early 2026, and the launch window was announced only on 2 July 2026. On 18 July 2026 the vehicle lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota and reached a 450 km orbit at 60 degrees inclination, India's first fully private orbital flight. The mission deployed technology-demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, and DCubed alongside Skyroot's own SCOPE satellite.
The company develops its propulsion in-house across three engine families: the Kalam solid motors that power Vikram-1's lower stages, the Raman liquid engine for the kick stage, and the 3D-printed cryogenic Dhawan series, whose Dhawan-III engine ran a 145-second test in February 2026. Manufacturing is concentrated in Hyderabad at the 60,000 sq ft MAX-Q facility and the roughly 200,000 sq ft Infinity Campus, which is sized to produce one orbital rocket a month and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2025.
Skyroot became India's first space-sector unicorn in May 2026, when a $60 million round co-led by GIC and Sherpalo Ventures valued the company at $1.1 billion and took its total funding to about $160 million. After the first Vikram-1 success the company said it planned four to six launches in the following financial year, with the larger Vikram-2 — targeting roughly 600 kg to sun-synchronous orbit — in development for a first flight around 2027.
What they build and operate
- Vikram-1 · Launch vehicle · Operational
Four-stage small-lift orbital rocket — three solid stages and a liquid-fuelled kick stage — carrying up to 350 kg to low Earth orbit; first flight reached orbit on 18 July 2026.[2][10][7] - Vikram-S · Launch vehicle
All-carbon-composite suborbital rocket that flew Mission Prarambh on 18 November 2022, the first space launch by an Indian private company.[10][4] - Vikram-2 · Launch vehicle · In development
Larger launcher in development with a cryogenic upper stage, targeting a first flight around 2027 with roughly 600 kg to sun-synchronous orbit.[10][2] - Dhawan engine series · Engine · In development
3D-printed cryogenic LNG-LOX engines; Dhawan-II ran a 200-second test in April 2023 and Dhawan-III a 145-second test in February 2026.[10] - Kalam solid motor series · Engine · Operational
Solid rocket motors powering Vikram-1's three lower stages, from the Kalam-100 third stage tested in May 2022 to the Kalam-1200 first stage static-tested in August 2025.[10][7]
Funding
- May 2022 · Series A and bridge
$11 million plus a $4.5 million bridge[7] - September 2022 · Series B
$51 million — GIC, Sherpalo Ventures, Neeraj Arora, Mukesh Bansal, Anil Chalamalasetty, Mahesh Kolli[8][1] - 30 October 2023 · Pre-Series C
₹225 crore (about $27.5 million) — Temasek[9][10] - 07 May 2026 · Series C
$60 million at a $1.1 billion valuation — GIC, Sherpalo Ventures, Funds managed by BlackRock, Greenko Group founders, Arkam Ventures, Playbook Partners, Shanghvi Family Office[1]
Milestones
- December 2020
Test-fired India's first privately built solid rocket propulsion stage.[6] - 20 May 2022
Chief executive Pawan Kumar Chandana said the company planned a technology-demonstration launch by the end of 2022 and its first commercial orbital mission early the following year; Vikram-1 did not reach orbit until 18 July 2026.[7][2] - 18 November 2022
Vikram-S flew suborbital Mission Prarambh to about 89.5 km — the first space launch by an Indian private company.[10][4] - 24 October 2023
Opened MAX-Q, a 60,000 sq ft integrated design and manufacturing facility in Hyderabad.[10] - 27 November 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Infinity Campus rocket factory and unveiled the Vikram-1 orbital vehicle, which Skyroot was then aiming to fly in early 2026.[4][10][5] - 07 May 2026
Raised $60 million at a $1.1 billion valuation, becoming India's first space-sector unicorn.[1] - 02 July 2026
Announced a 12 July to 4 August 2026 launch window for Vikram-1's maiden flight, Mission Aagaman, seven months after the company had said the rocket would fly in early 2026.[3][5] - 18 July 2026
Vikram-1 reached a 450 km, 60-degree orbit from Sriharikota on its first flight — India's first fully private orbital launch.[2][10]
Facilities
- MAX-Q · Hyderabad, Telangana
60,000 sq ft integrated design and manufacturing facility, opened October 2023.[10] - Infinity Campus · Hyderabad, Telangana
Roughly 200,000 sq ft rocket factory sized to produce one orbital vehicle a month, inaugurated November 2025.[4][1]
Leadership
- Pawan Kumar Chandana
Co-founder and chief executive officer (as of 07 May 2026)[1][8] - Naga Bharath Daka
Co-founder and chief operating officer (as of 07 May 2026)[1][8]
Sources
Via SatelliteSkyroot Secures $60M in Funding, Becoming India's First Space 'Unicorn'satellitetoday.com
Via SatelliteSkyroot Aerospace Makes History for India With First Launch Successsatellitetoday.com
SiliconIndiaSkyroot Sets July-August Window for Vikram-1 Orbital Launchsiliconindia.com
NewsOnAirPM Modi to Inaugurate Skyroot's Infinity Campus, Unveil Vikram-I Rocket Todaynewsonair.gov.in
OrganiserVikram 1 of Skyroot Aerospace: Maiden private launch vehicle of India marks milestone in space privatisationorganiser.org
TechCrunchSkyroot successfully test fires India's first privately-made solid rocket stagetechcrunch.com
TechCrunchIndian launch startup Skyroot successfully completes full-duration stage testtechcrunch.com
SpaceMartSkyroot Aerospace raises $51 Million led by GIC to propel the new future of small satellite launchesspacemart.com
EntrackrSpacetech startup Skyroot Aerospace raises $27 Mn led by Temasekentrackr.com
WikipediaSkyroot Aerospaceen.wikipedia.org
Skyroot AerospaceOfficial siteskyroot.in
ThePrintHow Skyroot, Hyderabad-based startup behind Vikram-1, built 95% of its workforce from scratchtheprint.in
Coverage of Skyroot Aerospace
Policy
Andhra Pradesh order allotted Skyroot 294.67 acres for Tirupati rocket plant
The September 2025 order set the land allotment rate at ₹5 lakh per acre and recorded a ₹400-crore proposal; Telugu360 reported Nara Lokesh citing the rounded 300-acre figure on August 25, 2026.
Policy
Modi meets 20 space-startup leaders, urging wider uses of their technology
The August 21 meeting put the private space sector before the prime minister, but the official account announced no new funding, authorisations, contracts or binding policy changes.
Launch
Second Vikram-1 first stage begins transfer to Sriharikota
The transfer starts a new campaign after July’s maiden orbital flight, but Skyroot has not announced a launch date or said that the next vehicle is integrated.
Launch
Vikram-1 reaches orbit on India’s first private orbital launch
Skyroot’s four-stage launcher placed two satellites in low Earth orbit on its maiden flight, crossing a threshold for India’s commercial launch ecosystem.
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