Vikram-1 Rocket

Why in News?

• Vikram-1 is India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket.
• Its maiden test flight is named Mission Aagaman ("the arrival").

Mission Aagaman will be a partially commercial flight carrying domestic and international payloads, specifically targets a 450 km altitude orbit at a 60-degree inclination.

• Developed by - Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace.
• This follows the suborbital flight of Vikram-S, which was the first private rocket to reach space from Indian soil in 2022.
• Launch Window - Set between July 12 and August 4, 2026.
• Launch Site - Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.  
• Primary Objective - To gather crucial real-time in-flight performance data (propulsion, stage separation, guidance, and navigation) that cannot be replicated via ground testing, validating designs for future high-cadence commercial operations.
• Structure & Build - A 7-storey-tall, multi-stage vehicle featuring an all-carbon composite structure engineered for rapid manufacturing.
• Propulsion - Powered by in-house solid and liquid propulsion systems, utilizing advanced 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel boosters.
• Capacity & Orbit - Designed to deploy small satellites weighing up to 350 kg into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• Avionics & Control - Operates autonomously via complex onboard intelligence with no pilot or manual joystick controls.

Reference

The Hindu | Vikram-1