India became the third country, after the US and China with private orbital launch capability on Saturday, as Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 rocket completed its maiden flight from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, opening the door to commercial spaceflights from Indian soil. Vikram-1, India’s first private orbital rocket launch, lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (@skyrootaerospaceofficial via PTI) The rocket, developed by a 400-strong team as part of Mission Aagaman, lifted off at 12.05pm and injected four technology demonstration payloads into a 450km, 60-degree orbit within 20 minutes. The seven-storey, multi-stage vehicle is designed to carry satellites of up to 350kg to low-earth orbit, built with an all-carbon composite structure and in-house propulsion — including 3D-printed engines and high-thrust solid-fuel boosters. Also read: India’s first private orbital launch successful as Vikram-1 lifts off into space | VIDEO “We have created a global milestone from India,” said CEO and co-founder Pawan Kumar Chandana, who set up the Hyderabad company with Naga Bharath Daka in 2018. It is valued at …