Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 Rocket Achieves Orbit, Ending India's State Launch Monopoly

Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket successfully reached orbit on July 18, marking a historic achievement for India's private space sector. This launch ends the long-standing monopoly of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in orbital launches. The Vikram-1 is a four-stage vehicle capable of deploying payloads up to 350 kg into Low Earth Orbit.