India's private space company Skyroot Aerospace has secured a major commercial contract from US-based Reflect Orbital for two dedicated rocket launches to deploy future spacecraft, shortly after its Vikram-1 rocket successfully reached orbit.
The deal marks a significant step for India's emerging private space industry, highlighting growing international interest in the country's commercial launch services.
Reflect Orbital is developing technology that uses mirrors or reflectors in space to redirect sunlight towards specific locations on Earth. The company believes the technology could extend solar power generation beyond sunset, support nighttime search and rescue operations and provide light in areas without conventional infrastructure.
Skyroot said the agreement would expand its commercial launch pipeline across its Vikram family of launch vehicles, adding to other missions already planned.
Reflect Orbital co-founder and CEO Ben Nowack said the shortage of available launch opportunities had encouraged the company to work with a new provider.
"There's a real launch capacity shortage right now. We're excited to work with a new launch provider, Skyroot, to help ensure access to space," he said.
Reflect Orbital describes itself as a company developing space-based infrastructure to deliver sunlight to specific locations on Earth.
Skyroot co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana said the partnership reflected the company's ambition to support advanced space missions worldwide.
"Reflect Orbital represents the kind of ambitious global space mission the Vikram family is being built to serve. We are pleased to partner with Ben and the Reflect Orbital team across two dedicated launches, providing schedule certainty and mission flexibility," he said.
Founded in 2018 by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) engineers Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, Skyroot aims to make space more accessible and establish India as a competitive player in the global private launch market.
The company drew international attention in 2022 when its Vikram-S rocket became the first rocket launched by an Indian private company.
After years of development, Skyroot achieved another milestone with Mission Aagman, the maiden orbital flight of its Vikram-1 rocket. In July 2026, the rocket successfully reached orbit on its first flight, becoming India's first privately developed orbital launch vehicle to achieve the feat on its maiden mission.
The latest contract is expected to strengthen the company's commercial prospects following that achievement.
The agreement also highlights the growing role of private companies in India's space sector. For decades, the country's launch capabilities were led largely by ISRO, but a new generation of private firms is now seeking international customers and competing for commercial launch contracts.
Reflect Orbital's decision to book two launches with Skyroot signals growing overseas interest in India's privately developed launch vehicles and their ability to support international space missions.
Source: NDTV