One of Tamil Nadu's space startups will launch its maiden rocket on March 22, making history. Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited, a space start-up with its headquarters in Chennai, will launch its first rocket, the Agnibaan Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

It may be noted here, Agnibaan SOrTeD will be India’s first launch from a private launchpad. It is also going to be India’s first semi-cryogenic engine powered rocket launch and the world’s first single piece 3D printed engine designed and built indigenously.

The startup founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM and Satya Chakravarthy, Agnikul Cosmos became the first company in India to sign an agreement with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the IN-SPACe initiative to have access to the space agency’s expertise and its facilities to build Agnibaan in December 2020.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/private-firm-agnikul-to-launch-indias-first-kerosene-oxygen-powered-rocket-agnibaan-in-march-556412">Private firm Agnikul to launch India's first kerosene-oxygen powered rocket 'Agnibaan' in March</a>

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Chakravarthy, co-founder and advisor, Agnikul Cosmos, and professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, told The Hindu, “This would be India’s first liquid oxygen-kerosene rocket flight in India, from India’s first privately developed launchpad, in Sriharikota.”

"This would be India's first liquid oxygen-kerosene rocket flight in the country, from India's first privately developed launchpad, in Sriharikota,” said Chakravarthy, co-founder and advisor of Agnikul Cosmos and professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras 
“Significantly, we would be flying our original world’s most integrated single piece 3D printed rocket,” he added.

"This is a sub-orbital launch, but it is not a sounding rocket," he said further.

It is equipped with a gimballed thrust vector control and a full suite of closed loop feedback guidance and control. Because of this, it is the first private launch in India that needs a flight termination mechanism and a safety distance from the launchpad that was determined by doing tens of thousands of worst-case simulations.

With the exception of stage separation, Chakravarthy clarified, "this mission attempts to validate the guidance, control, and navigation system, the launch release hold mechanism, the entire command sequence operated by the onboard computer, telemetry and tracking."

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/agnibaan-rocket-by-indian-start-up-to-be-test-launched-from-alaska-usa-331475" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/agnibaan-rocket-by-indian-start-up-to-be-test-launched-from-alaska-usa-331475&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjCpsC51IWFAxWXTWwGHdMQCyUQFnoECAAQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw1MtcG0VFb2dDGjihewM2wA&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/agnibaan-rocket-by-indian-start-up-to-be-test-launched-from-alaska-usa-331475" target="_blank">Agnibaan&nbsp;rocket by Indian start-up to be test launched from Alaska</a>

He made note of the fact that a post-flight analysis of every subsystem's performance will come after the mission. The preparations for the orbital trip are the nearest future plan.

Agnikul is the second rocket in India to be privately developed.&nbsp;The first rocket developed privately in India, Vikram-S, took flight from the ISRO launchpad in Sriharikota in 2022. Built by the Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, the 6-meter-tall vehicle reached a maximum height of 89.5 kilometers before launching and splashing down into the Bay of Bengal around five minutes later. Prarambh was the name of this mission.

(With inputs from agencies)

One of Tamil Nadu's space startups will launch its maiden rocket on March 22, making history. Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited, a space start-up with its headquarters in Chennai, will launch its first rocket, the Agnibaan Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

One of Tamil Nadu's space startups will launch its maiden rocket on March 22, making history. Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited, a space start-up with its headquarters in Chennai, will launch its first rocket, the Agnibaan Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. It may be noted here, Agnibaan SOrTeD will be India’s first launch from a private launchpad. It is also going to be India’s first semi-cryogenic engine powered rocket launch and the world’s first single piece 3D printed engine designed and built indigenously. The startup founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM and Satya Chakravarthy, Agnikul Cosmos became the first company in India to sign an agreement with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the IN-SPACe initiative to have access to the space agency’s expertise and its facilities to build Agnibaan in December 2020. Also read: Private firm Agnikul to launch India's first kerosene-oxygen powered rocket 'Agnibaan' in March Commenting on the launch, Mr. Chakravarthy, co-founder and advisor, Agnikul Cosmos, and professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, told The Hindu, “This would be India’s first liquid oxygen-kerosene rocket flight in India, from India’s first privately developed launchpad, in Sriharikota.” "This would be India's first liquid oxygen-kerosene rocket flight in the country, from India's first privately developed launchpad, in Sriharikota,” said Chakravarthy, co-founder and advisor of Agnikul Cosmos and professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras “Significantly, we would be flying our original world’s most integrated single piece 3D printed rocket,” he added. "This is a sub-orbital launch, but it is not a sounding rocket," he said further. It is equipped with a gimballed thrust vector control and a full suite of closed loop feedback guidance and control. Because of this, it is the first private launch in India that needs a flight termination mechanism and a safety distance from the launchpad that was determined by doing tens of thousands of worst-case simulations. With the exception of stage separation, Chakravarthy clarified, "this mission attempts to validate the guidance, control, and navigation system, the launch release hold mechanism, the entire command sequence operated by the onboard computer, telemetry and tracking." Also read: Agnibaan rocket by Indian start-up to be test launched from Alaska He made note of the fact that a post-flight analysis of every subsystem's performance will come after the mission. The preparations for the orbital trip are the nearest future plan. Agnikul is the second rocket in India to be privately developed. The first rocket developed privately in India, Vikram-S, took flight from the ISRO launchpad in Sriharikota in 2022. Built by the Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, the 6-meter-tall vehicle reached a maximum height of 89.5 kilometers before launching and splashing down into the Bay of Bengal around five minutes later. Prarambh was the name of this mission. (With inputs from agencies)

India's second privately-built rocket scheduled for launch

Indian launch vehicle company Agnikul Cosmos is targeting a March 2023 launch for its rocket "Agnibaan", which will be India's first rocket to be powered by a combination of kerosene and liquid oxygen. The maiden flight would be carried out from India's spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota and is to be a sub-orbital flight, which means that the rocket would not venture into space. This rocket is capable of lifting payloads weighing up to 100 kg to orbits around 700 kms above the earth's surface.

Agnikul's CEO Srinath Ravichandran revealed the plans for the maiden launch, while speaking at the SpaceTech Summit organized at IIT Madras, as part of the Shaastra technical fest. He said that the test flight is aimed at validating their technology and proving the performance of the various systems and sub-systems of the vehicle which weighs 14 tonnes at launch, stands 18 meters tall and is 1.3 meters in diameter. The rocket is said to be made to specific dimensions to ensure that it can easily fit into a shipping container or trailer.&nbsp;

According to the company, their vehicle will comprise of two stages, where the first stage comprises of a cluster of engines known as 'Agnite' and the second stage comprises of the 'Agnilet' engine. Both these engines are semi-cryogenic, which means that they use a combination of fuels - refined kerosene (stored at room temperature) and super cooled liquid oxygen. Both engines used by Agnikul are designed and developed by them in India and are single-piece, 3-D printed engines, said to be the first in the world.

Sharing the salient features of their rocket, Agnikul's COO, Moin SPM said that the first stage was customizable and could be fitted with anywhere between (minimum of) four to (maximum of) seven engines, as per mission requirement. The rocket engines would also be utilizing fuel pumps that are powered by batteries and electric motors. To ensure safe export and transportation of their rocket, the firm ensured that the rocket comprises of no explosives or pyrotechnics. Typically, rockets use small explosive bolts to jettison spent stages, but Agnikul will be making use of pneumatic systems for the same.

In November 2022, Agnikul had inaugurated India's first private rocket launch pad and mission control centre. This facility is situated within the ISRO spaceport at Sriharikota. However, unlike other rockets that operate from India, Agnikul is working on a method where the rocket can be launched from a pedestal on the back of a truck. The test launch of Agnibaan will have all the avionics, telemetry and guidance systems, as would normally be used in the commercial launches of the rocket.

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Indian launch vehicle company Agnikul Cosmos is targeting a March 2023 launch for its rocket "Agnibaan", which will be India's first rocket to be powered by a combination of kerosene and liquid oxygen.

Indian launch vehicle company Agnikul Cosmos is targeting a March 2023 launch for its rocket "Agnibaan", which will be India's first rocket to be powered by a combination of kerosene and liquid oxygen. The maiden flight would be carried out from India's spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota and is to be a sub-orbital flight, which means that the rocket would not venture into space. This rocket is capable of lifting payloads weighing up to 100 kg to orbits around 700 kms above the earth's surface. Agnikul's CEO Srinath Ravichandran revealed the plans for the maiden launch, while speaking at the SpaceTech Summit organized at IIT Madras, as part of the Shaastra technical fest. He said that the test flight is aimed at validating their technology and proving the performance of the various systems and sub-systems of the vehicle which weighs 14 tonnes at launch, stands 18 meters tall and is 1.3 meters in diameter. The rocket is said to be made to specific dimensions to ensure that it can easily fit into a shipping container or trailer. According to the company, their vehicle will comprise of two stages, where the first stage comprises of a cluster of engines known as 'Agnite' and the second stage comprises of the 'Agnilet' engine. Both these engines are semi-cryogenic, which means that they use a combination of fuels - refined kerosene (stored at room temperature) and super cooled liquid oxygen. Both engines used by Agnikul are designed and developed by them in India and are single-piece, 3-D printed engines, said to be the first in the world. Sharing the salient features of their rocket, Agnikul's COO, Moin SPM said that the first stage was customizable and could be fitted with anywhere between (minimum of) four to (maximum of) seven engines, as per mission requirement. The rocket engines would also be utilizing fuel pumps that are powered by batteries and electric motors. To ensure safe export and transportation of their rocket, the firm ensured that the rocket comprises of no explosives or pyrotechnics. Typically, rockets use small explosive bolts to jettison spent stages, but Agnikul will be making use of pneumatic systems for the same. In November 2022, Agnikul had inaugurated India's first private rocket launch pad and mission control centre. This facility is situated within the ISRO spaceport at Sriharikota. However, unlike other rockets that operate from India, Agnikul is working on a method where the rocket can be launched from a pedestal on the back of a truck. The test launch of Agnibaan will have all the avionics, telemetry and guidance systems, as would normally be used in the commercial launches of the rocket. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Private firm Agnikul to launch India's first kerosene-oxygen powered rocket 'Agnibaan' in March

Indian aerospace start-up AgniKul Cosmos has signed a memorandum of agreement with Alaska Aerospace Corporation to test launch their Indian-made Agnibaan rocket from the Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Island in the United States. The launch from Alaska is expected to take place from 2022 onwards.&nbsp;

Under this agreement, Alaska Aerospace and AgniKul will work together to secure several regulatory approvals. They include US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launch licensing, US export control, and will comply with export laws &amp; regulations in India to receive necessary clearances from the Indian authorities as well. The aim is to define launch vehicle-spaceport interfaces, related procedures and conduct at least one test launch from PSCA.

“We are thrilled AgniKul has partnered with Alaska Aerospace for high inclination flight testing,” said Mark Lester, President and CEO of Alaska Aerospace. “Agnikul has established itself as a leading rocket technology company, and we are pleased Alaska’s proven launch infrastructure and expertise continue to attract new space launch companies from around the world”, he added.&nbsp;

Srinath Ravichandran, CEO and Co-founder of AgniKul Cosmos said that this announcement was further evidence of their company’s steady progress towards launch. “Alaska Aerospace and AgniKul share a vision of providing rapid, agile, and low-cost access to space. This is a great platform for us to demonstrate our 'Made In India, for the world' launch services solution through our mobile vehicle Agnibaan” he elaborated.&nbsp;

When asked about the reason behind choosing the Alaskan launch port, Srinath said that for certain types of orbits which are preferred by customers, it was preferred to launch from a high latitude location. “In some cases we might have to launch closer from poles and Alaska offers that, when it comes to launches from close to the equator, Sriharikota is an option and we are working with India’s In-space for this” he told WION.&nbsp;

When WION asked about the complexities in the logistics of getting a rocket to a foreign land, he said that it would be similar to how flights land in foreign airports. “The rocket can be shipped to the destination and at the launch port we’ll be provided facilities like fuel and tracking and telemetry systems. This enables us to go where the customer is” he said.&nbsp;

He also feels that there isn’t much of a competition n the segment that his company is targeting - payload of upto 100 kg to low Earth orbits up to 700 km. “There are quite a lot of players making rockets, but very few in the less than 100kg segment” he said, adding that they were targeting a maiden test launch by end of 2021.

“By partnering with Alaska Aerospace, AgniKul engineers and staff can focus on the technical complexities of perfecting our rocket Agnibaan's launch operations from different environmental conditions across geographies,” said AgniKul Co-founder &amp; COO Moin SPM. "Having access to high latitude launch locations is an important aspect of our strategy for offering customer-centric launch services, and this partnership with Alaska Aerospace is going to be directly helpful” he added.&nbsp;

Under the agreement with the Alaska Aerospace Corporation additional tests and operational launches are also possible under. This is said to be an important step in moving the small satellite launch market towards a customer-centric business model as opposed to what it is today – a vehicle-centric model. This would mean faster, easier commercial space access, and ultimately will open up space for everyone.&nbsp;

AgniKul Cosmos Private Limited is a Chennai, India-based start-up incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and the company is targeting commercial rocket launches from 2022 onwards.&nbsp;

Indian aerospace start-up AgniKul Cosmos has signed a memorandum of agreement with Alaska Aerospace Corporation to test launch their Indian-made Agnibaan rocket from the Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Island in the United States.

Indian aerospace start-up AgniKul Cosmos has signed a memorandum of agreement with Alaska Aerospace Corporation to test launch their Indian-made Agnibaan rocket from the Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska (PSCA) on Kodiak Island in the United States. The launch from Alaska is expected to take place from 2022 onwards. Under this agreement, Alaska Aerospace and AgniKul will work together to secure several regulatory approvals. They include US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launch licensing, US export control, and will comply with export laws & regulations in India to receive necessary clearances from the Indian authorities as well. The aim is to define launch vehicle-spaceport interfaces, related procedures and conduct at least one test launch from PSCA. “We are thrilled AgniKul has partnered with Alaska Aerospace for high inclination flight testing,” said Mark Lester, President and CEO of Alaska Aerospace. “Agnikul has established itself as a leading rocket technology company, and we are pleased Alaska’s proven launch infrastructure and expertise continue to attract new space launch companies from around the world”, he added. Srinath Ravichandran, CEO and Co-founder of AgniKul Cosmos said that this announcement was further evidence of their company’s steady progress towards launch. “Alaska Aerospace and AgniKul share a vision of providing rapid, agile, and low-cost access to space. This is a great platform for us to demonstrate our 'Made In India, for the world' launch services solution through our mobile vehicle Agnibaan” he elaborated. When asked about the reason behind choosing the Alaskan launch port, Srinath said that for certain types of orbits which are preferred by customers, it was preferred to launch from a high latitude location. “In some cases we might have to launch closer from poles and Alaska offers that, when it comes to launches from close to the equator, Sriharikota is an option and we are working with India’s In-space for this” he told WION. When WION asked about the complexities in the logistics of getting a rocket to a foreign land, he said that it would be similar to how flights land in foreign airports. “The rocket can be shipped to the destination and at the launch port we’ll be provided facilities like fuel and tracking and telemetry systems. This enables us to go where the customer is” he said. He also feels that there isn’t much of a competition n the segment that his company is targeting - payload of upto 100 kg to low Earth orbits up to 700 km. “There are quite a lot of players making rockets, but very few in the less than 100kg segment” he said, adding that they were targeting a maiden test launch by end of 2021. “By partnering with Alaska Aerospace, AgniKul engineers and staff can focus on the technical complexities of perfecting our rocket Agnibaan's launch operations from different environmental conditions across geographies,” said AgniKul Co-founder & COO Moin SPM. "Having access to high latitude launch locations is an important aspect of our strategy for offering customer-centric launch services, and this partnership with Alaska Aerospace is going to be directly helpful” he added. Under the agreement with the Alaska Aerospace Corporation additional tests and operational launches are also possible under. This is said to be an important step in moving the small satellite launch market towards a customer-centric business model as opposed to what it is today – a vehicle-centric model. This would mean faster, easier commercial space access, and ultimately will open up space for everyone. AgniKul Cosmos Private Limited is a Chennai, India-based start-up incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and the company is targeting commercial rocket launches from 2022 onwards.

Agnibaan rocket by Indian start-up to be test launched from Alaska, USA

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India's second privately-built rocket scheduled for launch

Private firm Agnikul to launch India's first kerosene-oxygen powered rocket 'Agnibaan' in March

Agnibaan rocket by Indian start-up to be test launched from Alaska, USA