Indian Startup Agnikul Cosmos Successfully Launched Its Agnibaan SOrTeD Rocket

Indian space tech startup Agnikul Cosmos has reported the successful completion of Mission 01, the maiden flight of its indigenously developed Agnibaan SOrTeD rocket. The launch was conducted from the company’s private launchpad, situated within the SDSC-SHAR facility at Sriharikota.

“All the mission objectives of this controlled vertical ascent flight were met, and performance was nominal. The vehicle was completely designed in-house and was powered by the world’s first single-piece 3d printed engine. It also happens to be India’s first flight with a semi-cryo engine,” the company has written on X.

Agnicul’s Agnibaan SOrTeD Rocket

The Agnibaan SOrTeD (SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator) rocket features a plug-and-play engine configuration. It is 18 meters in length, has a diameter of 1.3 meters and a lift-off mass of 14,000 kg. The two-stage launch vehicle can carry a payload of up to 300 kg into an orbit approximately 700 km high.

Agnikul Cosmos states that the Agnibaan SOrTeD rocket is powered by a fully 3D-printed, single-piece, 6 kN semi-cryogenic engine named Agnilet.

Previous Attempts To Launch Agnibaan SOrTeD Rocket

The startup’s initial attempt to launch Agnibaan was planned for 22nd March. But it was delayed due to “unavoidable circumstances.” The launch was postponed again on 6th April and rescheduled for 7th April. However, the flight was once again delayed due to the technical issues.

About The Company

Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM, and SR Chakravarthy founded Agnikul Cosmos in 2017. The company developed India’s first private launch vehicle specifically for small satellites. At present, Agnicul aims to serve clients who need to launch small satellites, offering a cost-effective alternative to expensive large launch vehicles.

Agnikul, incubated at IIT-Madras, became the first Indian startup to sign an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in December 2020.