For good reason, India’s Aerospace startups are making a wave worldwide. For example, a Chennai-based startup plans to 3D print a spacecraft and launch it to the lower Earth orbit in a few days.
Agnikul, a promising space technology startup from Chennai, has secured an impressive $26.7 million in Series-B funding. This substantial investment is set to propel the company toward the development of its proprietary launch vehicle and innovative 3D-printed rocket engine. With this latest financial injection, the startup has amassed $40 million in capital.
At the core of this enterprise’s ambitious plans is the creation of “Agnibaan,” a small satellite launch vehicle engineered to transport payloads weighing up to 100 kilograms into a low-Earth orbit. This marks a significant leap in the private space industry.
The Agnibaan rocket, aptly named after the Sanskrit word for “arrow of fire,” will be equipped with the cutting-edge “Agnilet” engine. This engine is notably characterized as “semi-cryogenic.” It employs a unique combination of liquid kerosene at room temperature and supercold liquid oxygen to propel the launch vehicle into the vast expanse of space.
Agnikul disclosed that it initiated the integration process for its “Agnibaan SOrTed” (SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator) in August of the current year. The intricate integration operations are underway at the company’s specialized facility at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, nestled within the coastal town of Sriharikota.
Notably, the Agnikul launchpad and the Agnikul mission control center are strategically positioned approximately four kilometers apart and collectively constitute India’s maiden private launch facility. This historic space hub was officially inaugurated on November 28 of the previous year by the esteemed Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Mr. S. Somanath.
The recent injection of capital marks a significant milestone for Agnikul, signifying its relentless progress toward revolutionizing the space launch industry. With Agnibaan and Agnilet in the works, this Chennai-based startup is poised to impact the future of space exploration.
