On the day its Ax-4 mission put India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla in space, Houston-based Axiom Space announced a partnership with Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace to jointly expand access to low-Earth orbit. Axiom signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Skyroot, opening the door for deeper collaboration between the two private space firms. The agreement, signed by Axiom CEO Tejpaul Bhatia and Skyroot CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana will explore integrated launch and in-orbit solutions. “This collaboration is rooted in our shared commitment to transform humanity’s presence in space. Since my visit to Skyroot’s facility two years ago, I’ve believed our companies were destined to work together. As Axiom builds the world’s first commercial space station, partners like Skyroot will play a key role in serving not just the Indian space ecosystem, but global markets,” Bhatia said. Skyroot Aerospace is gearing up to debut its first orbital-class launch vehicle, Vikram-1. The company, which in 2022 launched the suborbital Vikram-S, has emerged as an important player in India’s rapidly growing private space sector and was the first to sign a partnership agreement with Isro.“At Skyroot, our mission is to make space accessible, affordable and reliable. As we near the maiden orbital launch of Vikram-1, this partnership with Axiom Space allows us to explore integrated launch and in-orbit solutions, which will define the next era of space exploration and commercialisation,” Chandana said. Axiom Space, headquartered in Houston, is building Axiom Station — planned to be the world’s first commercial space station. The company’s latest crewed mission, Ax-4, features astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary and the US. The partnership outlines potential areas of cooperation including the launch of research payloads, orbital data centre modules, and future missions to Axiom Station. Both companies say they are excited to jointly serve India’s burgeoning space industry and expand opportunities globally.It also signals deepening ties between US and Indian private space players, as the sector shifts towards a commercial, multipolar future in LEO and beyond