A promising Indian launch startup nears its first orbital test flight

A promising Indian launch startup is poised to become only the fourth country or private entity to reach orbit independently, with its first orbital test flight scheduled within weeks. The company’s rocket generates 120 kilonewtons of thrust at liftoff, enough to carry a 500-kilogram payload to low Earth orbit. This launch would put India ahead of every other emerging spacefaring nation except the US and China, outperforming #2 Brazil’s delayed VLS program by at least two years. The startup has already secured $15 million in seed funding and a launch pad at India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre, signaling that the global launch race has expanded well beyond the traditional duopoly.