India achieved a major milestone in its space journey on Saturday (July 18, 2026) as Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital rocket, successfully reached orbit and deployed its payloads into an approximately 450-km orbit. The mission marks India’s entry into an elite group of nations with private orbital launch capability, making it only the...
Category: Science & Tech
Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket lifts off from Sriharikota
Private rocket Vikram-1 carrying tech payloads and special postcards lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on Saturday (July 18, 2026). Earlier, the launch was put on hold temporarily. A new schedule was announced, and the rocket was launched at 12.05 P.M.. Skyroot’s Vikram-1, India’s first private orbital rocket to be launched...
Launch of Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, rescheduled
The launch of Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, which was scheduled to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on July 18 at 11.30 am, was put on hold temporarily. A new schedule was announced, and the rocket will be launched at 12.05 PM. Skyroot’s Vikram-1, India’s first private orbital...
All you need to know about Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket
Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, is set to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Saturday (July 18, 2026) at 11.30 a.m. The launch is expected to mark the entry of Indian private space technology companies into the global launch services market. Rocket developed by Skyroot Aerospace Developed...
Oceansat-3A likely to be launched by year-end, says NRSC Director
The Oceansat-3A satellite is likely to be launched before the end of this year, National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) Director Prakash Chauhan said in Visakhapatnam on Friday. He was speaking after inaugurating the NICES-Coastal Observation Research Laboratory (CORAL) at the Centre for Studies on Bay of Bengal (CSBoB), Andhra University (AU), along with Vice-Chancellor G.P....
India’s first private orbital rocket Vikram-1 set for lift-off
Forty-six years after India successfully launched its first experimental Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 (SLV-3), history is set to repeat itself as Vikram-1, the country’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket, prepares to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on July 18 (Saturday) at 11.30 a.m. On July 18, 1980, India became the sixth...
Science Snapshots: July 19, 2026
Central African monkey with striking patch is new species Researchers have found a new species of African monkey in Central Africa. Colobus congoensis, or ‘Likweli’, lives in Lomami National Park. It was first photographed in 2008 but has only now been confirmed to be a unique species, using genetic tests and field observations in 2018-2022....
Why does our body scent change distinctly as we age? Are there ways to manage it?
— Mahua Ray A: The distinct scent often associated with ageing is primarily caused by a compound called 2-nonenal. Around 40 years, our bodies’ natural antioxidant defenses start to weaken, allowing certain fats on the skin to break down. For instance, when omega-7 unsaturated fatty acids like palmitoleic acid are exposed to oxygen, they oxidise...
SpaceX abruptly scrubs Starship test flight
SpaceX on Thursday (July 17, 2026) aborted what was to be its first Starship flight since the company went public, abruptly calling it off just as the booster began to ignite. “Some of the engines didn’t start, triggering an automatic launch abort. Now offloading propellant,” company head Elon Musk said on X. “To be confident...
SpaceX Starship launch aborted on pad at last moment
SpaceX’s mega Starship rocket came within a second or so of blasting off on a test flight but some of the engines failed to start, triggering a launch abort. Elon Musk’s company said it will have to figure out what went wrong before making another attempt to send Starship on a space-skimming flight halfway around...
