The race for low Earth orbit: What the launch of Vikram-1 means for India
India's first privately developed rocket, Vikram-1, successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, placing multiple satellites into low Earth orbit. This achievement positions India as the third country with private launch capabilities, following the US and China, following the government's 2020 initiative to open the space sector to private firms. The launch underscores India's growing role in the competitive space industry, particularly in the lucrative low Earth orbit market.