Skyroot Aerospace, South Asia’s first private rocket launcher, gears up for its first orbital launch as India accelerates private space ambitions
PM Modi to Flag Off Skyroot’s Next Big Leap
On November 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually unveil Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-I, the company’s first orbital-class rocket, and inaugurate its new two lakh sq. ft. facility in Hyderabad.
- Named Infinity Campus, the state-of-the-art premises will house design, development, integration, and testing functions under one roof.
- Once fully operational, the facility can build one orbital rocket every month, boosting India’s ambitions in private satellite launches.
Skyroot: From Suborbital to Orbital Success
Founded in 2018 by Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, Skyroot Aerospace is pioneering a modular rocket architecture designed to serve the booming small satellite market.
- The company made headlines in 2022 with Vikram-S, becoming South Asia’s first private company to launch a rocket into space.
- The upcoming Vikram-I will mark Skyroot’s transition into orbital-class launches, capable of placing payloads into low Earth orbit (LEO).
Its modular design enables component flexibility across missions, allowing tailored solutions based on payload type and target orbit.
Strong Investor Backing and Global Partnerships
Skyroot has raised over $95 Mn to date from investors such as:
- GIC (Singapore sovereign fund – led the $51 Mn Series B in 2022)
- WorldQuant Ventures
- Graph Ventures
- Meraki Labs
In June 2025, Skyroot signed an MoU with Axiom Space (US) to collaborate on advancing LEO access and space exploration missions, further strengthening its global footprint.
A Spacetech Ecosystem on the Rise
India’s spacetech ecosystem has been gaining momentum, thanks to:
- Liberalised space policies (2023)
- Increased private sector participation
- Supportive government directives and funding
Recent developments include:
- Antariksh VC Fund’s first close at INR 1,005 Cr, led by SIDBI Venture Capital Ltd
- PM Modi’s call to mint five spacetech unicorns and scale up to 50 rocket launches annually
Skyroot’s orbital ambitions directly align with this national vision, offering an indigenous pathway to commercial satellite launch capabilities.
A $77 Billion Opportunity by 2030
India’s spacetech market is projected to grow to $77 Bn by 2030, driven by use cases in:
- Telecom & IoT connectivity
- Earth observation and climate monitoring
- Satellite data analytics and defense tech
Skyroot and its peers are working across the space value chain, from launch vehicles to ground-based analytics, capturing this multi-billion-dollar opportunity.
What’s Next for Skyroot?
Following Vikram-I’s unveiling, the company will focus on:
- Flight testing the orbital rocket
- Scaling production at Infinity Campus
- Fulfilling commercial launch contracts already in the pipeline
As India’s private spacetech industry matures, Skyroot is positioning itself as a foundational player capable of delivering high-frequency, low-cost launch services.
