Skyroot Vikram-1, the least worst case scenario for India’s launch crisis

First launch of Skyroot’s Vikram-1 rocket from ISRO’s Sriharikota launch complex. Images: Skyroot AerospaceThe successful launch of Skyroot Aerospace’s small Vikram-1 rocket on July 18, sans the mixed outcome for payloads, has been hailed as a revolutionary launch success for India by the company, ISRO, the Indian government, various media outlets, industry executives, and people at large. That it’s rare globally to achieve orbit on first attempt bolstered said outlook and emotion of Skyroot unequivocally making history. However, if India really wants to become a space launch power, we must differentiate between success for Skyroot the company and what it does or does not mean for the nation. A garden does not save the forest, as we’ll see in this article.This article is Part 6 of my series on India’s launch vehicle crisis. A space program can only move as swiftly and flexibly as its orbital rockets, and India has been amid a grinding halt. As such, I’ve been focusing my Indian Space…