r/ISRO 5d ago

Mission Success! Vikram-1 / Test Flight-1 (Aagaman) Mission Updates and Discussion

51 Upvotes

Vikram-1 / Test Flight-1 launch is scheduled at 06:35:30(UTC)/12:05:30 (IST), 18 Jul 2026 from First Launch Pad of SDSC-SHAR.

Mission Phase Time (MM:SS) Altitude (km)
T0 +00:00 Lift-Off
T0 +00:10 Safe Clearance of the Launch Pad
T0 +00:20 Pitch Manoeuvre
T0 +00:25 Mach 1
T0 +00:39 @ ~9 km Max-Q
T0 +01:20 @ ~50 km Stage 1 Separation
T0 +01:30 Mach 5
T0 +01:44 @ ~55 km Stage 2 Ignition
T0 +02:00 Entering Space
T0 +02:52 @ ~120 km Payload Fairing Separation
T0 +03:00 @ ~135 km Stage 2 Separation
T0 +03:16 @ ~200 km Stage 3 Ignition
T0 +05:00 @ ~225 km Stage 3 Separation
T0 +09:35 @ ~405 km OAM Ignition
T0 +15:46 @ ~450 km OAM Cut-off + Orbit Injection

Live webcast: (Links will be added as they become available)

Some highlights:

  • Target Orbit : 450 km , Inclination = 60°
  • Mission duration: 15 min. 46 sec. (OAM cut-off)
  • First orbital flight attempt of a rocket made by private firm in India.
  • Maiden launch of Vikram-1, a four stage rocket developed by Skyroot Aerospace.

Updates:

Time of Event Update
Post-launch Grahaa has received telemtery from SOLARAS-S3
Post-launch Cosmoserve Space could not deploy arms of their Embrace payload
Post-launch Three objects catalogued: 26164A (i=59.93°, A×P=453.5×440.8 km), 26164B (i=59.93°, A×P=451.5×442.3 km) and 26164C (i=59.93°, A×P=451.5×441.3 km)
T + 36m00s Webcast over while they were speaking...
T + 17m44s "Hello Space. We have Arrived" MCC is happy!
T + 15m55s Solaras-S3 separated, SOLVE separated. Aagaman mission successful!
T + 15m46s OAM thrust cutoff!
T + 14m00s OAM performance nominal!
T + 12m15s Sticking to expected path really closely.
T + 10m40s Cosmoserve payload powered ON. OAM performance nominal!
T + 09m35s OAM stage ignited!
T + 09m00s Live rocket cam shows OAM tumbling a bit.
T + 07m20s Stage-3 (Kalam-100) separated. OAM is in coasting mode now.
T + 05m00s Stage-3 (Kalam-100) burned out, vehicle now in combined coasting mode!
T + 04m40s Stage-3 (Kalam-100) performance is nominal!
T + 03m20s Stage-2 separated and Stage-3 (Kalam-100) ignited.
T + 02m45s PLF jetisoned
T + 02m40s Stage 2 (Kalam-250) performance normal
T + 01m50s Stage 1 separated, Stage-2 ignited!
T Zero! Kalam-1200 ignited! Lift Off!
T - 03m00s Head mount Safe Arm device (HMSA) armed!
T - 05m00s OBC in flight mode!
T - 11m00s Automatic Launch Sequence has been initiated!
T - 15m00s ALS initiation has been cleared by Vehicle Director.
T - 17m00s Launch has been authorized again.
T - 20m00s Countdown restarted!
T - 05m00s 12:05:30 IST is the new T Zero
T - 05m00s Navigation team raised the hold. ALS will be raised shortly.
T - 05m00s Reason for hold has been identified. New T Zero to be announced soon.
T - 05m00s All systems on standby mode due to Hold.
T - 05m00s Hold observed.
T - 11m00s Automatic Launch Sequence has been initiated!
T - 16m30s Launch has been authorized!
T - 19m00s Vehicle is GO!
T - 21m00s Range , Telemetry and Tracking are GO!
T - 27m00s Wind profile data updated.
T - 34m00s Per MCC screen data launch time has been revised to 11:31 IST i.e 1 minute delay.
T - 01h14m Skyroot's stream is LIVE!
17 Jul 2026 Official press-kit released and live-stream link made available.
15 Jul 2026 SDSC-SHAR announces launch date and time as 06:00(UTC)/11:30(IST) on 18 Jul 2026.
10 Jul 2026 NOTAM issued with enforcement duration 0500-0900 (UTC) between 18 July to 4 August 2026.
06 Jul 2026 Payload details released
03 Jul 2026 NOTAM issued with 12 July to 4 August 2026 launch window.
02 Jul 2026 Fourth OAM stage was integrated. Launch window of 12 July to 4 August 2026 announced.
30 Jun 2026 Second stage KALAM 250 was integrated with first stage
29 Jun 2026 Vikram-1's first stage KALAM 1200 was stacked at FLP
26 May 2026 A NOTAM was issued with 16 June to 4 July 2026 launch window.

Payloads:

  • SCOPE (3U) : An experimental cubesat by Skyroot Aerospace to validate technologies for their future missions it also carries an imaging camera.

  • SOLARAS S3 : A cubesat by Grahaa Space to validate their nanosatellite bus. [1] [2]

  • Embrace : OAM stage hosted payload consisting of soft-robotics petals by Cosmoserve Space and a deployable capture target to validate their novel actuation mechanism. [3]

  • uD3PP and mD3RN : OAM stage hosted uD3PP pin puller and mD3RN release actuator developed by Dcubed GmbH, Germany for in-orbit validation. [4] [5]

  • Other commemorative articles:

    • Micro sculptures of Vikram Sarabhai, A P J Abdul Kalam and Sir C V Raman by artist Ajay Kumar Mattewada to honor scientific legacy of modern India.
    • Lotus shaped artwork 'Cosmic Bloom' made of lab-grown diamonds and gold by Cosmos Diamonds
    • Hand written cards from well wishers across the world. (See also : Rocket Mail)

r/ISRO 1d ago

In-space view of Cartosat-2D by HEO from 52 km away

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156 Upvotes

ISRO's Cartosat 2D is seen here orbiting Earth, set against the backdrop of deep space.
The object spans roughly 3.5 metres across its deployed solar panels, yet HEO resolved the main body, attitude, and solar panels from 52 kilometres away, with the vectors showing the arrays oriented toward the sun and the satellite holding a stable attitude.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/isros-cartosat-2d-is-seen-here-orbiting-ugcPost-7485116720135790592-bBcD/


r/ISRO 3d ago

What do these ppls do here.

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286 Upvotes

Just wanted to ask , what do these peoples do in details , (are they communication engineers), and also I m gonna take cs core in tier 3 , what do cs ppls do in the space tech or what major role they play . Please enlighten me with ur knowledge. Thanks


r/ISRO 3d ago

My take on why people are quitting ISRO

245 Upvotes

This is my take as an ex-ISRO engineer on why people are quitting.

Recent news reports reveal a worrying trend: over 100 top scientists and engineers have resigned from India’s premier space agency, ISRO, in just the past few months. Instead of fixing the root causes, the government’s response has been to make it harder for people to quit by tightening exit rules.

But stopping people from leaving won’t fix the real issue. To understand the brain drain, management needs to look at what is actually happening on the ground: a toxic mix of extreme overwork, endless government paperwork, and the massive pull of the private sector.

Here is a breakdown of why ISRO is losing its talent.

## 1. Using Dedication to Justify Extreme Overwork

ISRO scientists work late and pour their hearts into their jobs out of a deep sense of patriotism and moral duty to the nation. Unfortunately, management has turned this dedication into an expectation.

* **Fake Deadlines:** Work schedules are routinely driven by high-pressure, "pseudo-urgent" deadlines. Staff are expected to sacrifice their personal lives to meet these arbitrary dates.

* **Targeting the Youth:** There is a bad habit among management of targeting single and younger employees. They are frequently guilt-tripped with questions like, *"Why do you need to leave early? What else do you have to do at home?"*

* **The "24/7" Trap:** While government rules state that gazetted officers should be *available* on-call for emergencies, management has twisted this into a demand that they must *work* 24/7. This has completely destroyed their mental peace.

## 2. No Time Off and Delayed Rewards

Despite their hard work, employees feel deeply unappreciated.

* **Blocked Leave:** Employees are given 30 days of Earned Leave (EL) per year, but taking time off is heavily discouraged. Many are pressured not to use even 10 or 15 days of their hard-earned time off.

* **Slow Career Growth:** In exchange for working massive overtime, employees are often met with delayed promotions and stagnant career progression.

## 3. Choked by Paperwork: The "Make in India" Realities

A major, unspoken frustration is the massive shift from scientific work to standard bureaucratic paperwork.

* **Engineers Acting as Store Managers:** Scientists spend an immense amount of time filling out indents, conducting market surveys, and floating tenders to buy necessary equipment.

* **Unrealistic Expectations:** While the "Make in India" initiative is a positive goal, it ignores immediate practical realities. Advanced space equipment, like high-end microprocessors, test tools, and FPGAs, are simply not manufactured in India yet.

* **Months of Wasted Time:** To import these parts, engineers must go through endless committee clearances, check portals like GeM, and wait months just to get "non-availability certificates" or waivers. A simple purchase can take 6 months to a year.

* **The Double Penalty:** When these bureaucratic hurdles delay a project, the engineers are blamed for the schedule slippage and forced to work massive overtime to make up for the lost time. In private companies, engineers can actually focus on science and engineering, not red tape.

## 4. The Pull of the Private Space Boom

While ISRO's internal environment becomes more frustrating, the external world has changed dramatically. India’s private space sector is booming.

* Inside ISRO, leadership positions (like Group Directors or Deputy Directors) are incredibly rare, leaving little room to grow.

* Private space startups and aerospace companies are aggressively hiring. They offer much higher salaries, stock options, faster career growth, and the creative freedom that government bureaucracy suffocates.

## 5. A Broken Feedback Loop

Every person who quits ISRO goes through an exit interview meant to gather feedback on what needs to be improved. Right now, these interviews are treated as a mere box-checking exercise. Suggestions are routinely ignored, and the system refuses to change.

> **The Bottom Line:** ISRO cannot continue to launch historic missions if it treats its scientists like cogs in a machine. Forcing people to stay by blocking their resignations will only breed resentment. If management wants to stop the talent drain, they must urgently relax strict manufacturing rules for the space sector, reduce the paperwork, treat exit interviews seriously, and give their employees the mental peace, pay, and career growth they deserve.


r/ISRO 3d ago

how much scope does cse has in isro or other space research organisations

17 Upvotes

i am interested in computer science and cybersecurity maths and physics , but want to work as a scientist or atleast for research purpose
i heard that cse vaccancies are low as compared to ee and ece
i have just got admission in btech cse due to my interest but in tier 3 , shall i change my branch ? because i am seeing that ee and ece have more opportunities in govt. research sectors like drdo and isro or any private space agencies in india

please answer this also share experience those who are working


r/ISRO 3d ago

Why can't ISRO salary be equivalent to SEBI Grade A salary

186 Upvotes

A fresher joining ISRO as Scientist/Engineer 'SC' starts with a basic pay of ₹56,100/month (Level 10), with total gross typically around ₹85,000–₹1,00,000/month depending on allowances. Even at the highest level, a Distinguished Scientist (Level 16) has a basic pay of about ₹2.24 lakh/month.

In comparison, a SEBI Grade A Assistant Manager starts with a basic pay of ₹62,500/month, but the overall compensation is much higher due to SEBI's pay structure and allowances, with gross monthly pay often around ₹1.8 lakh. At the top, a SEBI Executive Director has a pay scale reaching ₹3.32 lakh/month.

Considering ISRO scientists build launch vehicles, satellites, and strategic space technologies, why does such a large compensation gap exist? Is it purely because SEBI is an autonomous regulator with its own pay structure, or should ISRO also have a separate, more competitive salary framework to retain top engineering talent?


r/ISRO 3d ago

As Vikram-1 reaches orbit, Skyroot faces a steep climb to business success

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130 Upvotes

r/ISRO 3d ago

Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India - 2026-07-18 - Umbra-10

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9 Upvotes

About 24hrs before the launch of Vikram-1 I submitted a task to Umbra for a capture of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India.
The result? An incredibly crisp capture just 8 minutes before the launch.

https://bsky.app/profile/spacefromspace.com/post/3mqxdzu3jrc2m


r/ISRO 4d ago

ISRO targets seven launches this fiscal, next mission set within two months

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78 Upvotes

r/ISRO 4d ago

Official First private orbital launch lifts off from Sriharikota

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23 Upvotes

r/ISRO 4d ago

What Vikram-1 Means for India's Space Future? | Former ISRO Chief G. Madhavan Nair Answers

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12 Upvotes

r/ISRO 4d ago

Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 (Aagaman) : Post-launch press-conference underway.

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51 Upvotes

r/ISRO 4d ago

The Day I was waiting for!!SKYROOT AEROSPACE done their first MISSION Vikram-1 successfully!!🚀🚀🚀

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618 Upvotes

Oh My God I am so happy today!!🥹❤️‍🩹🔥🚀


r/ISRO 4d ago

FULL TELECAST OF VIKRAM-1 LAUNCH

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41 Upvotes

r/ISRO 4d ago

Vikram Has Done it!!

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1.8k Upvotes

India's First Private Orbital Rocket Launch is successful!!


r/ISRO 4d ago

Skyroot Vikram-1 LiftOff!

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2.2k Upvotes

r/ISRO 4d ago

PSLV and GSLV launches

35 Upvotes

There seems to be no news about the planned/delayed satellite launches recently. Only fancy news about Gaganyaan etc.

I am referring to the bread and butter satellite launches ( both India ( government) specific and commercial launches.


r/ISRO 5d ago

Anyone here from VSSC apprenticeship?

1 Upvotes

Got selected as a Technician Apprentice at VSSC. Anyone here with previous experience?


r/ISRO 5d ago

Official mission press-kit for Vikram-1 Test Flight-1

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31 Upvotes

r/ISRO 5d ago

On spot registration for launch view gallery?

6 Upvotes

Possible? As I was lamenting about how I lost my chance to register online and how the gates closed in front of my eyes, someone replied there there may be on spot registration available.

Real? I did a search after reading that reply. All I got was there might be in spot registration if seats are available. Does it mean someone's seat, who registered but couldn't attend might be given to me? Or like they reserve some seats for offline registration?

If the latter is true, I can spend money to reach sriharikota. It's far from where i dwell. But if I can't get the assurance of the seat, my broke ass can't afford to go there and get slapped by shar back to my home.

Anyways, have a good day :)


r/ISRO 5d ago

Flight sequence of SKyroot's Vikram-1 Test Flight-1 mission.

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203 Upvotes

r/ISRO 5d ago

Reliance Jio receives IN-SPACe technical approval for proposed 1,600-satellite LEO constellation

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77 Upvotes

r/ISRO 5d ago

Launch witness doubt

7 Upvotes

How long before the rocket launch does the registration for pass close on the website?


r/ISRO 5d ago

Former Isro chief S Somanath joins Agnikul's board ahead of reusable rocket test

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115 Upvotes

r/ISRO 6d ago

1 day trip From Bengaluru to Sriharikota for Skyroot launch ?

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9 Upvotes

Pretty much the reply above I have attached. We can book car early in the morning, watch launch and return by evening the same day..