Indian Space Industry : Updates & Discussions

Centre to support Agnikul Cosmos in developing Agnibaan rocket

India Today Science Desk, New Delhi
UPDATED: Dec 17, 2024; 16:17 IST

This funding will facilitate the creation of the launch vehicle that meets diverse mission requirements while reducing lead times for satellite launches to just two weeks.
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Agnibaan launching on Sorted-1 mission. (Photo: Agnikul).

In Short:
  • The initiative is backed by the Technology Development Board
  • Agnikul Cosmos was incubated at IIT-Madras
  • The Agnibaan vehicle aims to revolutionise the satellite launch ecosystem
In a significant advancement for India's space capabilities, the Ministry of Science and Technology has announced its support for Agnikul Cosmos, a Chennai-based aerospace startup, to develop and commercialize the "Agnibaan" launch vehicle.

This highly customizable two-stage rocket is designed to deliver payloads of up to 300 kg to orbits at an altitude of 700 km, aiming to make satellite launches more accessible and affordable.

The initiative is backed by the Technology Development Board (TDB), which has sanctioned financial assistance for the project titled "Development and Commercialization of Modular Configurable Launch Vehicle for 100 Kg Payload."

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This funding will facilitate the creation of a launch vehicle that meets diverse mission requirements while reducing lead times for satellite launches to just two weeks.

Agnikul Cosmos, incubated at IIT-Madras and guided by a team of 45 former ISRO scientists, achieved a historic milestone earlier this year with the successful launch of Agnibaan SOrTeD, the world's first rocket powered by a single-piece 3D-printed engine.

The Agnibaan vehicle is poised to revolutionize the satellite launch ecosystem by offering dedicated launches and operational flexibility through mobile launch systems that can be deployed globally.

Agnikul aims to revolutionize satellite launches with its Agnibaan rocket by reducing lead times for satellite launches to as little as two weeks, offering operational flexibility through mobile launch systems that can be deployed globally, and enabling customizable space missions for small satellites, eliminating the inefficiencies of traditional rideshare models.

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The Agnibaan project incorporates several cutting-edge technologies, including India's first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine and mobile launch platforms capable of launching from various locations.

The startup has developed all major subsystems in-house, ensuring comprehensive testing facilities for quality assurance and subsystem evaluations.

With its innovative approach, Agnikul aims to democratize access to space, catering to the growing demand for small satellite launches.

Centre to support Agnikul Cosmos in developing Agnibaan rocket
 
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Gautam said:
Indian space startup SpanTrik is developing a 5kN LOX/LNG engine named "Eureka":
View attachment 36261
View attachment 36262
View attachment 36263
Eureka is a pressure fed regeneratively cooled engine. This engine will power the "LEAPFROGGER" platform shown below:
View attachment 36260
The "LEAPFROGGER" platform will be the company's sub-scale VTVL test platform.
View attachment 36264
They wanted to do the first flight tests by 2024. Though that seems difficult now.

Eventually they plan to develop a fully reusable medium lift rocket:
View attachment 36266
View attachment 36265
Click to expand...

SpanTrik Pvt. Ltd. has started fabricating the "Leapfrogger" platform to test their VTVL capabilities:
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They recently tested their 5kN "Eureka" Methalox engine. Photo from engine torch ignitor tests:
Eureka_injector_test.jpg

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Video1:


Video2:


Engine test video:
 
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Exclusive: First Indian startups picked for Indo-US defence programme, investor says

By Nivedita Bhattacharjee
January 17, 20253:29 PM GMT+5:30Updated 7 days ago
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The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, U.S., March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights.

BENGALURU, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Seven Indian privately-held startups have been chosen for a first-of-its-kind India-U.S. space and defence collaboration programme, potentially unlocking a lucrative and strategic market for Indian firms, an investor who co-launched the project told Reuters on Friday.

The companies include space imaging company KaleidEO, rocket makers EtherealX and AI-driven company Shyam VNL. They will participate in a programme for defence and dual-use technology and explore opportunities to work with the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit, the Department of Defense and other government agencies on satellite observation and emerging space and defence technologies.

Indian investor Indusbridge Ventures and U.S.-based FedTech, which established the programme in September 2024, selected seven Indian companies and talks are underway about specific projects.

"This programme offers valuable resources, mentorship, and essential connections with industry leaders in the U.S., and we look forward to partnering with FedTech on this initiative to accelerate private-sector partnership between the two countries in strategic sectors – defence and dual-use technology," said Rahul Devjani, the managing partner at Indusbridge Ventures.

The startups will get access to the world's biggest defence and space market and potentially work with U.S. defence industry leaders like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and RTX, two sources from the startups said. They declined to be identified owing to the sensitivity of the matter.

That could give them an edge against the competition as they compete for U.S. business in their niches worth about $1.5 billion annually, one of the sources said.

The U.S. government bodies did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. The development and details of the programme have not been made public before.

Lockheed and Northrop declined to comment, while RTX, formerly known as Raytheon, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Access to the U.S. defence and space market, the largest globally, could generate annual revenues between $500 million and $1 billion for the Indian companies, the second source said.

Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval this month met with his U.S. counterpart Jake Sullivan in New Delhi to discuss space technology collaboration and the "deepening cooperation between the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and India's Innovations for Defense Excellence to accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge commercial technologies for military solutions," among other topics.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/...-us-defence-programme-sources-say-2025-01-17/
 
Gautam said:
Indian space startup SpanTrik is developing a 5kN LOX/LNG engine named "Eureka":
View attachment 36261
View attachment 36262
View attachment 36263
Eureka is a pressure fed regeneratively cooled engine. This engine will power the "LEAPFROGGER" platform shown below:
View attachment 36260
The "LEAPFROGGER" platform will be the company's sub-scale VTVL test platform.
View attachment 36264
They wanted to do the first flight tests by 2024. Though that seems difficult now.

Eventually they plan to develop a fully reusable medium lift rocket:
View attachment 36266
View attachment 36265
Click to expand...

Gautam said:
SpanTrik Pvt. Ltd. has started fabricating the "Leapfrogger" platform to test their VTVL capabilities:
View attachment 39469
View attachment 39470

They recently tested their 5kN "Eureka" Methalox engine. Photo from engine torch ignitor tests:
View attachment 39468
View attachment 39471

Video1:
View attachment 39467

Video2:
View attachment 39472

Engine test video:
View attachment 39473
Click to expand...
SpanTrix recently met with PM during an exhibition & showcased their engine:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1880669689443188911

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https://twitter.com/x/status/1878838549245739472

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They are planning to test Leapfrogger’s VTVL capabilities in September 2025:
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Gautam said:
SpaceFields successfully fires India's first aerospike rocket engine

India Today Science Desk
New Delhi, UPDATED: Sep 11, 2024, 14:12 IST

Aerospike engines are unique because they adjust to different altitudes, maintaining efficiency regardless of atmospheric pressure.

SpaceFields, a startup incubated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has successfully tested India’s first aerospike rocket engine. The test took place at the IISc Propulsion Test Facility in Challakere, Chitradurga district.

View attachment 36257
In 2022 the company unveiled 3 solid rocket engines manufactured out of aerospace grade Titanium, Aluminum and Stainless Steel.

The aerospike engine, 168 mm in size, was ignited during a static test. Initially, the engine showed some instability but soon achieved steady combustion. The test used a special composite propellant and recorded a maximum pressure of 11 bar, producing a peak thrust of 2000 Newtons.

View attachment 36259

In total, the engine generated 54,485.9 Newton-seconds of impulse, a key measure of performance.

SpaceFields used Titanium grade 5 as the main material for the engine, with their patented thermal insulation to protect it from the high temperatures. This innovative design is part of the company’s efforts to push the boundaries of rocket technology.

View attachment 36258

Aerospike engines are unique because they adjust to different altitudes, maintaining efficiency regardless of atmospheric pressure.

This feature makes them more efficient than traditional rocket engines, potentially reducing the need for extra stages and cutting fuel consumption during space missions.

This successful test is an important step for India’s space technology. It places SpaceFields as a leader in next-generation rocket development. With the global space industry advancing rapidly, innovations like the aerospike engine could improve the performance and cost-efficiency of future space launches.

View attachment 36256
SpaceFields is developing a fleet of Small-Lift Launch Vehicles gearing to provide Commercial Orbital Launch-On-Demand Services. Source: SpaceFields twiter.

This milestone also highlights the growing strength of partnerships between academia and industry in India. As SpaceFields continues to improve their engine, it could lead to significant changes in how India approaches space exploration, making access to space more affordable and efficient.

SpaceFields successfully fires India's first aerospike rocket engine
Click to expand...

 
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