Exact Moment Skyroot's Vikram-1 Lifts Off, Marks India's Private Space Milestone| WATCH

New Delhi: India scripted a historic chapter in its space journey on Saturday as Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 thundered into the skies from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, becoming the country's first privately developed orbital rocket to successfully lift off.

The defining moment came after the countdown reached its final seconds. As the launch commentator called out "3...2...1... Lift-off!", Vikram-1 roared off the launch pad in a spectacular plume of fire and smoke, drawing cheers from mission control as India's private space sector entered a new era. The dramatic liftoff video has since gone viral across social media.

The launch was initially held up after an automatic hold was triggered minutes before liftoff, delaying the mission by around 35 minutes. Following final system checks and clearance, the countdown resumed before the rocket blasted into space under Mission Aagaman.

Developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, the 22-metre-tall Vikram-1 is capable of carrying payloads of up to 350 kg into Low Earth Orbit. The maiden mission carried multiple customer and technology demonstration payloads while validating the launch vehicle's propulsion, avionics and guidance systems.

The successful launch marks a watershed moment for India's commercial space ambitions, making Skyroot the first private Indian company to place an orbital-class rocket into space and opening a new chapter in the country's rapidly expanding private space ecosystem.

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