Chennai: Agnikul Cosmos, a Chennai-based space startup, successfully conducted a sub-orbital test flight of its Agnibaan rocket on Thursday. This was the company’s first success after four previous attempts. Their launch took place from Sriharikota, where they have their private launch pad within ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Agnikul is the second private entity in India to achieve this success after the launch of Vikram S by Skyroot Aerospace in November 2022.
The Agnibaan rocket is powered by the Agnilet engine, the first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine in the world. The mission lasted a little over two minutes from its launch to splashdown. It met all intended objectives and demonstrated the capabilities of the vehicle designed in-house by Agnikul.
ISRO congratulated Agnikul Cosmos through a post on X, stating, “Congratulations @AgnikulCosmos for the successful launch of the Agnibaan SoRTed-01 mission from their launch pad. A major milestone, as the first-ever controlled flight of a semi-cryogenic liquid engine realised through additive manufacturing.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the achievements, saying, “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 endeavours.”
