This photograph taken on July 7, 2026 shows a model of the Vikram-S rocket at the Skyroot aerospace plant on the outskirts of Hyderabad. | Photo credit: AFP
History so far: The Vikram-1 rocket, built by Hyderabad-based firm Skyroot, flew across the sky a little after noon on July 18, 2026. The seven-story rocket lifted off from ISRO’s first launch pad at Sriharikota and launched its payloads into orbit about 450 km above the earth a little over fifteen minutes later. The rocket was aerospace and the mission was named अगामानwhich means “arrival” in Sanskrit, has made India only the third country after the US and China whose private industry can reach orbit on its own launch vehicle.
Rocket engines have traditionally been forged, machined, and welded from dozens of parts. 3D printing, which engineers call additive manufacturing, is changing that. The laser melts the metal powder layer by layer, creating a part from nothing. There are several real advantages to this approach. An engine printed as a single piece loses bolts, seals and connections where conventional engines leak and fail; When Skyroot tested its Raman engine in 2020, the company said the fully printed injector cut weight in half, components and lead time by 80% compared to traditional production.
Published – Jul 18, 2026 3:56 pm EST.