Governor, Naidu, Lokesh Laud Skyroot’s Orbital Mission

Sriharikota:Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh on Saturday lauded Skyroot Aerospace’s successful launch of Vikram-1, describing it as a landmark achievement that places India’s private space sector among a select group of countries with independent orbital launch capability.

The Vikram-1 rocket, India’s first privately developed four-stage orbital launch vehicle, took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, under the command of Mission Aagaman at 12.05 pm and successfully deployed several technology demonstration payloads and souvenir postcards, including one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, into low Earth orbit.

Congratulating the Skyroot Aerospace team, Governor Abdul Nazeer described the mission as a historic milestone and wished the company greater success in its future endeavors.

Prime Minister Chandrababu Naidu said the successful first orbital mission shows that India’s private space sector is ready to stand alongside the world’s best.

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Skyroot, ISRO, IN-SPACe, NSIL and the thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians and partners whose vision, tenacity and excellence made this extraordinary achievement possible,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X.

He said the mission marks the beginning of a new era where India’s scientific institutions and private entrepreneurs together push the boundaries of innovation.

Saying that this is a proud moment for every Indian and an inspiration for young innovators, Naidu wished the continued success of India’s space program.

While IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh witnessed the launch from the Mission Control Center along with his son Nara Devansh, hundreds of school students and young space enthusiasts also watched the launch from the viewing gallery.

Congratulating the Skyroot team, Lokesh said that it was a source of great pride for Vikram-1 to successfully reach orbit in its first mission.

“This is just the beginning. As Skyroot grows, Andhra Pradesh will grow with them. We are committed to building the ecosystem that will help them and many more space pioneers reach even greater heights,” he said.

In another post on X, Lokesh recalled his first meeting with Skyroot founders in Visakhapatnam and said their ambition convinced the state government to support the company. He said the government has approved a start-up-friendly package and the proposed Space City in Tirupati envisages companies like Skyroot playing a central role.