Agnikul Cosmos Makes History as India's First Private Rocket Reaches Orbit
Chennai-based startup Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched its Agnibaan rocket into orbit from Sriharikota, making it India's first privately developed launch vehicle to achieve orbital flight. The rocket is powered by the Agnilet engine, the world's first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine, capable of carrying payloads up to 300 kg to low Earth orbit. Founded in 2017 at IIT Madras by Srinath Ravichandran and Moin SPM, the company relied heavily on additive manufacturing to reduce costs and complexity. The milestone follows a suborbital test flight in May 2024 and was made possible in part by ISRO's IN-SPACe policy reforms, which opened launch infrastructure to private players. The achievement positions India as a credible competitor in the global small satellite launch market, projected to exceed $13 billion by 2030.
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