ISRO Chief Hails Vikram-1 Success as Milestone for India’s Space Economy

NEW DELHI — The successful launch of Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital launch vehicle, marks a historic milestone for the country’s space ecosystem, with ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan and Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday describing the mission as a testament to India’s expanding private space sector and the success of recent space reforms.

Speaking to IANS after the mission’s success, Dr. Narayanan said the achievement underscored the rapid transformation of India’s space industry and the growing role of startups in driving innovation, employment and economic growth.

“This is a very, very important moment for India’s space ecosystem. A startup founded in 2018 has succeeded on its very first attempt. This is a historic milestone,” he said.

Dr. Narayanan noted that India’s space economy has changed significantly in recent years, with private companies emerging as major contributors alongside the government.

“Earlier, only the government was involved in the space sector. Today, there are around 400 startup companies creating numerous job opportunities and driving substantial growth in the space industry,” he said, adding that nearly 1,000 people are employed by the company behind Vikram-1—something that would have been difficult to imagine a decade ago.

He said the expansion of the private space ecosystem is expected to strengthen India’s position as a global space power while complementing ISRO’s ambitious scientific missions.

According to the ISRO chairman, work is progressing steadily on several flagship projects, including Chandrayaan-4, Chandrayaan-5 and India’s planned space station programme, while numerous satellites are currently under development.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Narayanan described the development of an orbital launch vehicle and its successful maiden mission within just eight years of the company’s founding as an extraordinary achievement.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said the successful Vikram-1 mission validates the government’s decision to open the space sector to private participation and demonstrates India’s emergence as a serious player in the global commercial space industry.

According to the Department of Space, the mission showcased the success of the country’s public-private partnership model involving ISRO, the Department of Space, IN-SPACe and India’s growing startup ecosystem.

Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to liberalize the space sector in 2020 with creating opportunities for private companies to access national space infrastructure and develop world-class launch technologies within India.

The minister said Vikram-1 demonstrated a high level of technological maturity for a maiden orbital mission. Unlike many first launches that carry only dummy payloads, the rocket transported experimental payloads and technology demonstrations for Indian and international customers, reflecting growing confidence in India’s commercial launch capabilities.

Built entirely in India, Vikram-1 is capable of placing payloads of up to 350 kilograms into low Earth orbit. The launch vehicle incorporates several indigenous technologies, including an all-carbon composite rocket structure, a fully 3D-printed liquid engine for its orbital adjustment module, advanced ultra-low-shock separation systems and a monolithic carbon-composite rocket stage.

The Department of Space said reforms introduced since 2020 have helped spur the growth of nearly 400 space startups, the country’s first space-sector unicorn and a space economy now approaching $9 billion. The government has set a long-term goal of expanding the sector to nearly $44 billion over the next decade.

The Vikram-1 mission is being seen as a landmark achievement for India’s commercial space ambitions, highlighting the growing capabilities of domestic private companies and the country’s efforts to become a leading global launch destination. (Source: IANS)