Launch of India’s 1st Semi-Cryogenic Rocket Agnibaan by Agnikul Cosmosis – a ‘Major Milestone’
By R Anil Kumar
The successful launch is a “momentous occasion for India’s space sector and a testament to the remarkable ingenuity of our Yuva Shakti”: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
The ‘Agnibaan – SOrTeD’ Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator also has the unique distinction of having been launched from India’s first private launch pad called ‘Dhanush’ established by Agnikul. It is also India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch.
The successful test launch is “nothing short of a historic milestone since India launched its maiden rocket in 1963 from the Thumba launch station (in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram)”: A K Bhatt, Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA).
This significant launch, coupled with the recently introduced guidelines for implementing the Indian Space Policy 2023 by IN-SPACe and the new FDI (foreign direct investment) regulations, will bolster global confidence in India’s private space industry and growing capabilities: A K Bhatt
Bengaluru. Chennai-based space start-up AgniKul Cosmos on May 30, successfully test-launched India’s first semi-cryogenic rocket — Agnibaan SOrTeD (Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator) — after four of its previous attempts had failed.
“Humbled to announce the successful completion of our first flight — Mission 01 of Agnibaan SOrTeD — from our own and India’s first and only private launchpad within SDSC-SHAR (Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota Range) at Sriharikota,” the company later said in a statement.
“All the vehicle was completely designed in-house and powered by the world’s first single piece 3D-printed engine and also happens to be India’s first flight with a semi-cryo engine,” it added.
The government space agency, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has not yet launched a semi-cryogenic rocket, making AgniKul Cosmos the first in India to venture into this sphere, albeit with ISRO’s technical support.
After the launch on Thursday May 30, ISRO congratulated Agnikul Cosmos for achieving “a major milestone”.
AgniKul Cosmos is an Indian Institute of Technology-Madras incubated venture founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin S.P.M., and S.R. Chakravarthy. It was the first Indian company to sign an agreement with ISRO in 2020 and is one of the heaviest-funded space start-ups in the country.
A ‘Historic Milestone’
Agnibaan is a single-stage launch rocket powered by an Agnilet semi-cryogenic engine, i.e., an engine fuelled by a combination of liquid and gaseous propellants. A semi-cryogenic engine remains at temperatures higher than cryogenic but colder than traditional liquid rocket engines.
A semi-cryogenic engine also can provide more thrust to rockets, helping carry higher payloads than cryogenic engines running on only gaseous propellants. So, Agnibaan paves the way for heavy-lift capability rockets, marking a significant development in India’s space sector. Moreover, semi-cryogenic rockets are environment-friendly and cost-effective.
ISRO is now developing a 2,000 kN thrust semi-cryogenic engine, with its latest trial conducted 2 May this year.
Agnibaan has other features that make it a key achievement. A plug-and-play engine configuration would allow the precise tailoring of the rocket to meet mission objectives and adjustments to fit commercial requirements. This feature makes Agnibaan, which would be available for commercial use, versatile, with a potential for various applications.
Agnikul Cosmos has also pointed out that Agnibaan, unlike conventional rockets launched from guide rails, will lift off vertically and follow a predetermined trajectory while performing a precisely orchestrated set of manoeuvres during flight A.K. Bhatt, Director Generalof the Indian Space Association (ISpA), said the successful test launch was “nothing short of a historic milestone since India launched its maiden rocket in 1963 from the Thumba launch station (in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram)”.
“This is a huge boost and a proud moment for India’s thriving private space industry and just a glimpse into what the future holds for us,” he said.
“This significant launch, coupled with the recently introduced guidelines for implementing the Indian Space Policy 2023 by IN-SPACe and the new FDI (foreign direct investment) regulations, will bolster global confidence in India’s private space industry and growing capabilities,” he added.
Semi-Cryogenic Engines – The Future of Space Travel
ISRO is also making strides in developing its first semi-cryogenic engine to ensure more efficient future launches. Early this month, the space agency conducted the first ignition trial for its SCE-200 (semi-cryogenic engine-200) at the Semi-cryo Integrated Engine Test (SIET) facility at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
The test demonstrated smooth and sustained ignition of the pre-burner, a vital step in starting the semi-cryogenic engine. The SCE-200 is a 2MN thrust class liquid rocket engine developed by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC).
This next-generation rocket engine, designed to enhance the payload capability of ISRO’s Launch Vehicle Mark-III launcher and future launch vehicles, operates on an oxidiser-rich staged combustion cycle using liquid oxygen (LOX) and RP-1 (rocket propellent-1) kerosene.
Senior ISRO scientists said the SCE-200 will likely replace the currently used L110 stage, also known as the core stage of the LVM-3. It promises to power future launch vehicles, such as the upcoming next-generation launch vehicles and reusable launch vehicles.
Failures are a Stepping stone to Success
This is not the first time that AgniKul Cosmos has attempted the launch. There have been four previous tries at lift-off since March this year. The last was an attempt two days ago.
On 28 May, the launch was scheduled for 5.45 am but got delayed due to an undisclosed technical glitch during the countdown, with the lift-off rescheduled for 9.25 am.
However, with just five seconds to launch, the AgniKul Cosmos team put the mission temporarily on hold to assess igniter performance. The company, however, did not clarify the exact reason behind the rescheduling.
Earlier on 7 April, a communication issue arose between two of the launcher’s onboard hardware.
“Had to call off today’s launch attempt of Agnibaan SOrTeD just a second into Automated Launch Sequence (ALS) initiation (at T-129 seconds) because of a communication issue between two of our onboard hardware.
Although it is frustrating to see a hold this close to lift off, we are glad our ALS did its job. We’ll get to the root cause and come back for the launch after fixing the cause,” Agnikul Cosmos, at the time, said.
Senior officials from ISRO, which has been providing technical support to the private company, said that such delays are normal, especially when attempting tests for a novel technology.
DESI Start-Up’s Historic Launch of World’s 1st Rocket with Single-Piece 3d-Printed Semi-Cryogenic Engine
The IIT-Madras-incubated start up, Agnikul Cosmos has launched the world’s first rocket with a single piece 3D printed engine from Sriharikota. The start-up achieved success entirely through indigenous design and development.
The ‘Agnibaan – SOrTeD’ Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator also has the unique distinction of having been launched from India’s first private launch pad called ‘Dhanush’ established by Agnikul. It is also India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch.
The ‘Agnibaan – SOrTeD’ Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator also has the unique distinction of having been launched from India’s first private launch pad called ‘Dhanush’ established by Agnikul. It is also India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi terming the feat ‘remarkable’ in a post on social media platform X, says the successful launch is a “momentous occasion for India’s space sector and a testament to the remarkable ingenuity of our Yuva Shakti.”
The key purpose of this mission, which is also Agnikul’s first flight, is to serve as a test flight, to demonstrate the in-house and homegrown technologies, gather crucial flight data and ensure optimal functioning of systems for Agnikul’s orbital launch vehicle, the ‘Agnibaan’.
Congratulating Agnikul on the launch, Dr. S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO, says, “The Department of Space and ISRO congratulates Agnikul Cosmos on the successful launch of ‘Agnibaan – SOrTeD’. The success involving many firsts including 3D printed semi-cryogenic engine, flight control systems etc. demonstrate the prowess of indigenous design and innovation. It motivates ISRO to support the Space start-ups and Non-governmental entities for innovation and Aatmanirbharta to create a vibrant space ecosystem in the country.”
The company says that its flagship launch vehicle, ‘Agnibaan’, is designed to be compatible with the mobile launchpad called ‘Dhanush,’ allowing for launch flexibility regardless of location. Agnibaan can be configured to accommodate payloads ranging from 30 kg to 300 kg, ensuring versatility across a wide range of mission requirements.
The startup is looking at flying an orbital mission towards the end of the financial year 2025 and is working with customers on flights starting regularly from calendar year 2025.
“The vision of Agnikul is to bring space within everyone’s reach, aiming to enable launches from anywhere, anytime, affordably. Agnikul is committed to developing launch vehicles that are both affordable and customizable according to customer needs,” the company states.
The Agnikul team consists of over 200 engineers and is associated with NCCRD at IIT-Madras. Additionally, the team is guided by 45 former scientists from ISRO who bring invaluable expertise to the endeavour of democratising access to space.
The single-stage rocket is called “Agnibaan – Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD)”.
Engine: It is powered by the Agnilet engine, which is the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine.
Launch Location: The rocket lifted off from India’s first private launchpad, Dhanush, at Sriharikota.
Significance: This launch marks India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch.
Mission Details: Despite previous launch postponements, the mission successfully gathered crucial flight data and validated indigenous technologies for future orbital launches.
Future Plans: Agnikul Cosmos plans to conduct regular customer flights starting from 2025.
This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Agnikul team, which consists of more than 200 engineers guided by 45 former ISRO scientists. The rocket’s vertical lift-off and precisely orchestrated flight manoeuvres demonstrate the prowess of indigenous design and innovation. Kudos to Agnikul Cosmos for pushing the boundaries of space technology.
