Forty-six years after India successfully launched its first experimental Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3), history is set to repeat itself as Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, prepares to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on July 18 (Saturday) at 11.30 a.m.

On July 18, 1980, India became the sixth member of an exclusive club of spacefaring nations when the SLV-3 was successfully launched from the same venue, placing the Rohini Satellite (RS-1) into orbit.

Developed by private space launch company Skyroot Aerospace, Vikram-1 is a seven-storey-tall, multi-stage orbital launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure and powered by in-house developed propulsion systems, including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel rocket boosters.

Designed to carry small satellites weighing up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), its first test flight is targeting a 450-km orbit at a 60° inclination. Vikram-1 will carry six technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve, DCubed and Skyroot’s own SCOPE, along with Cosmos Diamonds’ artwork “Cosmic Bloom”, and a micro-art piece.

Skyroot Aerospace said that the decks for the launch had been cleared with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) — the government agency to promote, permit, and oversee private-sector space activities — granting launch authorisation.

“We have done everything to test Vikram-1 on the ground. On July 18, we are eager to see how Vikram-1 performs in a real flight environment for the first time. This is our first test flight, and we will be getting valuable data from it. This will be foundational to Skyroot’s aspirations to establish launch cadence. We are excited to see this through,” said Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace.

Skyroot said all stages of Vikram-1 have been successfully integrated and stacked on the launch pad. Following this, the final integrated checks of the vehicle on the launch pad from Skyroot’s launch control centre have been completed, along with the interface checks with all telemetry ground stations and tracking radars.

Vikram-1’s flight sequence, from lift-off to orbit injection, will cover 14 phases, and the total duration of the flight will be 15.46 minutes.

A handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also travel to space on Vikram-1, along with hundreds of cards from well-wishers across the world.

“Among the payloads on Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 is something truly special — a handwritten postcard from Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the words, ‘Vande Mataram’. It travels to space alongside handwritten messages from our team, investors, policymakers, and well-wishers across the globe, making Mission Aagaman a celebration carried by many hands and shared by millions,” said Skyroot.