IIT Madras-incubated startup Agnikul Cosmos test-launched the world’s first rocket with a single-piece 3D-printed engine from Sriharikota last week.
‘Agnibaan-SOrTeD’ (or sub-orbital technology demonstrator) has the distinction of being launched from India’s first private launch pad, ‘Dhanush’, also made by Agnikul.
The key purpose of the mission is to gather crucial flight data and ensure optimal functioning of systems for the startup’s orbital launch vehicle, Agnibaan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on micro-blogging site X, “A remarkable feat which will make the entire nation proud. the successful launch of Agnibaan rocket powered by world’s first single piece 3D printed semi cryogenic engine is a momentous occasion for India’s space sector and a testament to the remarkable ingenuity of our Yuva Shakti.My best wishes to the Agnikul Cosmos team for their future endeavors,”
Agnibaan used India’s first semi-cryogenic engine, which uses a mix of liquid and gas for propellant. Liquid propellants can be reused and are safer than solid propellants.
A rising startup, Agnikul Cosmos has former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan and industrialist Anand Mahindra among its admirers.
Rajan, along with co-author Rohit Lamba, wrote about the startup in their book, Breaking the Mold: Reimagining India’s Economic Future.
Mahindra disclosed in a post on X on Monday that he is an investor in the firm.
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