India: Start-up opens facility to 3-D print engines for their orbital rockets

An Indian start-up, that is working towards building and launching its own rockets from India and abroad, opened its first factory meant to 3-D print engines for their orbital launch vehicles. This facility of 'Agnikul Cosmos', situated in the southern Indian city of Chennai, was inaugurated by N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, TATA Sons, in the presence ofChairman, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Dr. S. Somanath.

The company claims that this facility houses a400mm x 400mm x 400mm metal 3D-printer and a host of other machines that will enable end-to-end manufacturing of a rocket engine under one roof. "The factory has been designed keeping in mind the ability to produce 2 rocket engines per week" it was added.

According to the start-up, they are building 'Agnibaan', a two-stage launch vehicle that iscapable of taking payloads of 100 kg to orbits around 700 km high. In 2021, they successfully test fired 'Agnilet' a single-piece 3D printed engine, that was fully designed and manufactured in India.

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Powered by engines that use a combination of liquid oxygen and kerosene as fuel, the start-up says that their rocket is configurable by the customer. This means that the customer and the launch requirement will determine the number of engines used in the first stage of the rocket.

Team Agnikul had earlier told WION that they hope to have their maiden rocket launch in 2021. However, post-pandemic they revised the estimate to 2022-end. Prior to an actual orbital launch, the start-up wouldhave to perform multiple tests of their rocket stages, propulsion systems, structures, subsystems, etc., and qualify them.The start-uphas raised a total funding of INR 105 Crores ($15Mn), their team added.