Rocket Report: Indian startup nears first launch; SpaceX's millenary milestone

Written by Alex Chen
Senior Tech Analyst with 15+ years of experience.
Last updated: July 04, 2026 - 2 min read

**Rocket Report: Indian Startup Nears First Launch; SpaceX's Millenial Milestone; NASA Awards Rocket Lab Deals** *By Alex Thompson, Veteran Tech Journalist* In this week's Rocket Report, we're keeping a close eye on India as a homegrown startup prepares for its maiden launch. Meanwhile, SpaceX is gearing up to reach a significant milestone, and NASA has awarded contracts to Rocket Lab for dedicated launches. Let's dive in. **Indian Startup Skyroot Aerospace Nears First Launch** Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian startup founded by former ISRO scientists, is on the cusp of its first orbital launch. The company's maiden mission, 'Skyhook-1,' is set to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, aboard a PSLV rocket operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Skyhook-1 will carry Skyroot's first orbital-class rocket, Vikram I, as a secondary payload. Vikram I is designed to place small satellites into low Earth orbit and demonstrate Skyroot's reusable rocket technology. If successful, this mission will mark a significant milestone for India's burgeoning private space industry. **SpaceX Nears 100th Launch** SpaceX is poised to reach a remarkable milestone with its next launch, currently targeted for April 27. The Falcon 9 rocket set to liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida will carry the Transporter-4 mission, a rideshare flight carrying 39 small satellites. If all goes according to plan, this launch will be SpaceX's 100th successful mission since its founding in 2002. It's an astonishing achievement for a company that has revolutionized spaceflight with reusable rockets and rapid launch cadences. To celebrate this milestone, SpaceX has shared a commemorative patch featuring a stylized Falcon rocket with the number '100' prominently displayed. **NASA Awards Rocket Lab Deals for Three Dedicated Launches** NASA has awarded contracts to Rocket Lab USA, Inc., for three dedicated launches using the company's Electron rocket. The missions, part of NASA's Venture Class Launch Services (VCLS) program, will support various scientific and technological research objectives. The first mission, VCLS Demo 2, is scheduled for later this year and will carry a NASA technology demonstration payload designed to test advanced avionics and communications technologies in space. The remaining two missions, VCLS-1 and VCLS-2, are planned for 2024 and will launch small satellites developed by NASA's Earth Science Division. Rocket Lab's Electron rocket has proven itself as a reliable launch vehicle for small satellites, with over 30 successful missions to date. These new contracts further cement Rocket Lab's position as a key player in the small satellite launch market. That's all for this week's Rocket Report. Be sure to check back next week for more news and updates from the world of spaceflight. Until then, keep your eyes on the skies!