Reflect Orbital buys two launches from Skyroot Aerospace
Reflect Orbital · Skyroot Aerospace
Reflect Orbital bought two Skyroot Aerospace launches, one on Vikram-1 and one on the upgraded Vikram-1U, as rideshare capacity tightens.
what happened
Reflect Orbital, which is building a constellation of in-space mirrors to provide sunlight on demand, announced it purchased two launches from Indian launcher Skyroot Aerospace, per Payload: one on Skyroot's Vikram-1 vehicle (which debuted in July and carries about 350 kg to LEO) and one on the upgraded Vikram-1U, expected to fly its first mission in Q1 2027 and capable of carrying about 550 kg. Reflect Orbital did not disclose launch costs or dates; a company spokesperson told Payload it "is the primary and only payload at this time."
why it matters
The deal comes as SpaceX has stopped taking new Transporter rideshare reservations past 2029, pushing smallsat operators toward dedicated vehicles from newer entrants. For emerging launch providers like Skyroot, winning a dedicated customer beyond its home Indian market is a concrete step toward international business; for payload operators, it is another data point that non-SpaceX rideshare capacity is becoming a real planning option.
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- Reflect Orbital, Skyroot Aerospace
- Category
- contract
- Impact
- notable
- SNR
- 4 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-10-14
- Published
- 2026-10-14 12:43 UTC