The startup Agnikul Cosmos from IIT Madras has accomplished a spectacular feat by launching the first rocket in history to use a single-piece three-dimensional (3D) printed engine. The rocket Agnibaan SOrTeD (SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator) is the first rocket launch in India fueled by a semi-cryogenic engine, and it was entirely designed and produced in the country. It was also launched at 7:15 a.m. today from “Dhanush,” the first privately built launchpad in India, which Agnikul built in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. In addition to collecting vital flight data and demonstrating in-house and domestically developed technology, the test flight seeks to guarantee optimal system performance for Agnikul’s orbital launch vehicle, the “Agnibaan.”
S. Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, congratulated Agnikul Cosmos on the successful launch of Agnibaan-SOrTeD and stated that the accomplishment encourages ISRO to assist space startups and non-governmental organizations for innovation and Atmanirbharata to establish a thriving space ecosystem in the nation.
The two-stage rocket Agnibaan can lift up to 300 kg to a height of 700 miles. Kerosene or liquid oxygen fuel the rocket engines. According to the business, it can reach both high- and low-inclination orbits, is fully movable, and is intended to access over ten launch ports.