Indian spacetech keeps winning global customers: California-based Reflect Orbital has booked two dedicated launches on Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram rockets to deploy its future spacecraft. The deal was announced on October 14, 2026, and reported by The Hindu on October 15.
Reflect Orbital builds and operates orbital mirrors designed to deliver controlled sunlight to precise locations at night without ground infrastructure — supporting use cases from remote search-and-rescue to solar farms generating clean power. Dedicated launches give the company assured schedule and capacity, complementing its other planned launches from sites in the US.
Why a US startup chose an Indian rocket
"There's a real launch capacity shortage right now. We're excited to work with a new launch provider, Skyroot, to help ensure access to space," said Ben Nowack, co-founder and CEO of Reflect Orbital. The company was recently licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to operate its first spacecraft.
"Reflect Orbital represents the kind of ambitious global space mission the Vikram family is being built to serve," said Pawan Kumar Chandana, co-founder and CEO of Skyroot Aerospace, promising schedule certainty and mission flexibility. Financial terms and launch dates were not disclosed.
The agreement extends Skyroot's commercial launch manifest. Skyroot's Vikram-1 became India's first privately developed orbital rocket to reach orbit on its maiden flight in July 2026, and the company became India's first spacetech unicorn in May 2026 after raising nearly $60 million at a $1.1 billion valuation.
Why it matters for founders
When a US spacetech company buys dedicated capacity from an Indian startup's rockets, it's proof the country's deeptech ecosystem has crossed the credibility line. For space, defence and climate startups, the playbook is now global demand with Indian engineering — and Skyroot's manifest is the proof of concept.