Indian startup Agnikul achieves historic milestone with 3D-printed rocket launch
Indian space startup, Agnikul Cosmos, successfully launched its 'Agnibaan SOrTeD' rocket earlier today. This comes after four previous attempts were called off. The rocket, a Sub-Orbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD), was entirely designed and assembled in-house at Agnikul's facilities within IIT Madras. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) described the successful mission as "a major milestone, as the first-ever controlled flight of a semi-cryogenic liquid engine realized through additive manufacturing."
Agnibaan rocket's unique features and capabilities
Agnibaan SOrTeD is a single-stage rocket powered by a semi-cryogenic engine, capable of carrying up to 300kg to a 700km high orbit. The complexity of its launch arises from the use of India's first semi-cryogenic engine, which employs a mix of liquid and gas for propellant. Pawan Goenka, Chairman of Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), hailed the achievement as "a historic moment for India's space sector," powered by the "world's first single piece 3D printed semi-cryogenic engine."
Agnikul's future plans and commercial launches
The successful launch of the Agnibaan rocket is expected to validate Agnikul Cosmos's technologies for their upcoming commercial launches. According to IN-SPACe's manifesto, the startup is expected to venture into commercial missions in Q3 and Q4 of FY 2024-2025. The Chennai-based startup conducted this sub-orbital test-flight from its own launch pad at Sriharikota, making it India's second private entity to do so.
Details of the Agnibaan sorted mission and test-flight
The SOrTeD mission was powered by a semi-cryogenic engine named Agnilet, an indigenously developed sub-cooled liquid oxygen-based propulsion system. The vehicle is equipped with four carbon composite fins for passive control and uses sub-cooled Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). The test-flight, conducted without any live-streaming and in presence of fewer dignitaries at the Sriharikota launch pad, lasted just over two minutes from launch to splashdown.
