Chennai: On March 22, 2024, a big moment in space exploration will take place in Tamil Nadu. Agnikul Cosmos, a space startup from Chennai, will launch its first rocket, Agnibaan Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator. This launch will happen at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, making it India’s first private launchpad venture.
Founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM, and Satya Chakravarti, Agnikul Cosmos struck an important deal with ISRO in December 2020 through the IN-SPACe initiative. This agreement allowed them to tap into ISRO’s knowledge and facilities for their rocket development.
Speaking about the upcoming launch, Chakravarthi, co-founder and advisor of Agnikul Cosmos, said, “This will be India’s first liquid oxygen kerosene rocket flight in India from India’s first privately developed rocket flight in India. More importantly, we would be flying our patented world’s most single piece 3D printed rocket.”
The mission’s goal is to check vital systems like guidance, control, and navigation, along with onboard computer functions and telemetry, which are crucial for future orbital journeys. Chakravarti described the strict safety precautions, including a system to end flights if necessary, and a safety zone calculated from thorough simulations.
Discussion about this post