India launches first private orbital rocket as space start-ups expand

India’s first privately built orbital rocket took its maiden flight on Saturday, its company said, marking a significant step for the South Asian giant as it eyes a bigger slice of the global space economy.
The Vikram-1 rocket, built by Skyroot Aerospace and designed to carry small satellites into low-Earth orbit, took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota amid loud cheers.
“Hello space, we have arrived!” Skyroot Aerospace said on social media. “Vikram-1’s Test Flight-1 has…