India’s Key Spaceflight Achievements in 2022
In 2022, India consolidated its position in the global space sector through a series of landmark achievements by both its national space agency and a new wave of private aerospace companies. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and emerging startups advanced capabilities in satellite launch systems, propulsion technology, and commercial space services, reflecting a rapidly diversifying space ecosystem.
One of the year’s most closely watched developments was the maiden flight of ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). Designed to serve the booming small satellite market—projected by Allied Market Research to reach $13.7 billion by 2023—the SSLV offers a rapid turnaround from integration to launch. ISRO chairperson S. Somanath noted that the vehicle can be integrated in two days, tested in two days, and launched within a week. The SSLV-D1 mission lifted off on August 8, carrying the 145-kilogram EOS-02 Earth observation satellite and the 8-kilogram AzaadiSat, built by 750 schoolgirls under the SpaceKidz India initiative. However, a sensor logic failure led to the satellites being placed in a 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of the intended 356 km circular orbit. “SSLV-D1 placed the satellites into 356 km x 76 km elliptical orbit instead of 356 km circular orbit. Satellites are no longer usable. Issue is reasonably identified. Failure of a logic to identify a sensor failure and go for a salvage action caused the deviation. A committee would analyse and recommend. With the implementation of the recommendations, ISRO will come back soon with SSLV-D2,” ISRO stated. Despite the loss of payload functionality, the mission validated numerous new systems, from propulsion stages to control electronics.
ISRO also achieved a significant commercial milestone with the first paid mission of its Launch Vehicle Mark III (LVM3), formerly known as GSLV-MK3. On October 23, the heavy-lift rocket successfully deployed 36 broadband satellites for UK-based OneWeb, marking the first time LVM3 carried multiple satellites and the heaviest payload—5.8 tonnes—ever launched by India. The mission required precise orbital insertion and collision avoidance for the constellation. This success reinforced LVM3’s role not only in commercial markets but also in strategic projects, as ISRO continues human-rating the vehicle for the upcoming Gaganyaan crewed mission, which will place India alongside the United States, Russia, and China in human spaceflight capability.
Private enterprise also made history. On November 18, Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace conducted India’s first private rocket launch. The Vikram-S suborbital rocket lifted off from Sriharikota at 11:30 a.m., reaching space but not orbital velocity. The flight lasted under five minutes and tested systems for the larger Vikram-1 orbital launcher planned for 2023. Named after Indian space program founder Vikram Sarabhai, the rocket featured a carbon composite core structure and 3D-printed spin stability thrusters. Its Kalam-80 engine, honoring former President and aerospace scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, was a focal point of performance monitoring. The mission demonstrated that private firms could begin to assume roles traditionally held by ISRO, echoing global trends set by companies such as SpaceX and Rocket Lab.
Chennai-based Agnikul Cosmos added another first by successfully test-firing Agnilet, described by the company as the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine. Conducted at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, the test validated a semi-cryogenic design using liquid kerosene and liquid oxygen. Co-founder and CEO Srinath Ravichandran explained that “3D printing is a sweet spot for launch vehicles” due to its ability to produce complex, customized designs quickly, accelerating development cycles. Agnilet is intended to power the Agnibaan small satellite launcher, capable of placing up to 300 kilograms into low-Earth orbit. In parallel, Agnikul inaugurated India’s first private launchpad and mission control center at Sriharikota, designed for liquid-stage controlled launches and located four kilometers apart for safety and operational efficiency. While the engine test was a major step, further validation of avionics, navigation, and other subsystems remains before the rocket’s debut flight, which will carry test payloads.
These milestones illustrate the rapid maturation of India’s space sector, blending state-led programs with agile private innovation, and positioning the country for a broader role in the global launch market and beyond.
