Transport & space · July 2026

Vikram-1 reaches orbit

India's first privately built orbital rocket succeeds on its first try.

Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 reached orbit on its maiden flight, opening India's launch market to private companies.

Arcs above join it to what it stood on, arcs below to what it led to. The bar places this stretch on the tree's whole timeline.

What it built on 2

The dashed line marks when it first worked.

Objects launched into space Latest: 4.51k per year (2025) Source: Our World in Data

Payloads in low Earth orbit Latest: 14.5k objects (2025) Source: Our World in Data