Manastu Space’s Post

I have been observing Agnikul's progress since 2019 when they had some operations out of Kerala Startup Mission and were scouting for seed funds. Great progress made, not just by them but the whole ecosystem in general.  Resonates with PM's speech the other day about how the startup ecosystem in the country has thrived due to the right policies at the right time. Who would have imagined of India being home to more than 190 registered space-tech startups. #startupindia #spacetech #ksum

Tamil Nadu-based start-up Space Zone India launched India’s first reusable hybrid rocket, RHUMI 1, from Thiruvidanthai, Chennai. Powered by a hybrid motor and equipped with an electrically triggered parachute deployer, the rocket carried three CUBE satellites to monitor cosmic radiation, UV levels, and air quality, along with 50 Pico satellites to study ozone, altitude, and atmospheric dynamics. Spearheaded by founder Anand Megalingam and guided by ISRO veteran Mylswamy Annadurai, the mission highlights India’s growing leadership in sustainable space innovation. By Hitanshi Kothari Article link - https://lnkd.in/dvxSSwd4 #RHUMI1 #ReusableRocket #HybridRocket #IndianStartups #AerospaceInnovation #SpaceTechnology #SustainableSpace #RocketLaunch #IndiaInSpace #Entrepreneurship #TeamMarksmen #MarksmenDaily #InFocus

🚀 A Historic Milestone in India’s Space Sector! 🌌 India’s spacetech startup Agnikul Cosmos has successfully launched the Agnibaan SoRTed-01 mission, marking a significant achievement for the country’s private space industry. This mission highlights the incredible potential of homegrown innovation and technology. The Agnibaan SoRTed-01 mission, launched from Agnikul’s private launchpad in Sriharikota, achieved several notable firsts for India. It featured the first controlled flight of a semi-cryogenic liquid engine created through additive manufacturing, the first launch from a private pad, and the debut of a single-piece 3D-printed engine powering a launch vehicle. This single-stage rocket, powered by the Agnilet engine, is a precursor to the customizable two-stage Agnibaan, designed to carry a 300kg payload to a 700km orbit. This test flight aimed to validate in-house technologies, gather essential flight data, and ensure the optimal performance of systems for the Agnibaan. Unlike traditional rockets, the SoRTed mission lifted off vertically, following a precise trajectory and performing exacting maneuvers. It also tested the gimbaling system, where the autopilot adjusts thrust, differentiating it from ground test fires. Insights and the Future of India’s Space Ecosystem This successful launch is more than just a technological milestone—it significantly boosts India’s growing private space industry. It demonstrates the capabilities of Indian startups to innovate and compete globally. Combined with the recent guidelines for the Indian Space Policy 2023 and new FDI regulations, this achievement will enhance global confidence in India’s private space sector. This milestone validates the promising future for India’s space industry, anticipating more groundbreaking missions, enhanced capabilities, and greater collaboration between public and private entities. 🌟 Congratulations to Agnikul Cosmos and the entire team for this historic achievement. Here’s to many more successful missions and a thriving future for India’s space ecosystem! #SpaceTech #Innovation #MadeInIndia #Agnibaan #PrivateSpaceIndustry #AdditiveManufacturing #3DPrinting #SemiCryogenicEngine #FutureOfSpace #IndianSpacePolicy

#AgnikulCosmos Launches First Rocket From India's Only Private Launchpad. All About It Agnikul Cosmos, a IIT Madras-based aerospace manufacturer, launched the firm's first rocket from India's only private launchpad, which is located at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on May 30, 2024. Agnikul Cosmos has designed the launchpad, and is responsible for its operation. It was inaugurated in November 2022. Agnikul Cosmos's Agnibaan SOrTeD is the first mission to be launched from the launchpad since it was inaugurated. Agnibaan SOrTeD, where SOrTeD stands for SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator, is a single-stage rocket powered by the Agnilet semi-cryogenic engine. It took off at 7:15 am IST on May 30. Traditional sounding rockets, also known as research or suborbital rockets, are launched using guide rails, which are tracks that guide a rocket from its launch point into the air. However, Agnibaan SOrTeD, despite being a traditional sounding rocket, lifted off vertically. It also followed a predetermined trajectory and performed a precisely orchestrated set of manoeuvres during flight. Another speciality of the Agnibaan SOrTeD mission is that the rocket was powered by the world's first single-piece 3D engine, and this was India's first flight with a semi-cryogenic engine. Agnibaan, which means "arrow of fire" in Sanskrit, is a customisable vehicle. Agnikul Cosmos carefully designed the rocket to ensure reliability, flexibility, controllability, and stability. Agnibaan SOrTeD has one stage, but since Agnibaan is customisable, it can have up to three stages. https://lnkd.in/gMZViKKT

AgniKul Cosmos, a pioneering startup incubated at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, co-founded by Srinath Ravichandran achieves a historic feat in the Indian space industry by launching "Agnibaan – SOrTeD," the world’s first rocket powered by a fully 3D-printed engine. From the privately-developed launchpad "Dhanush" in Sriharikota, Agnikul demonstrates India’s capability in indigenous aerospace technology. The successful lift-off, powered by India’s first semi-cryogenic engine, garners acclaim from ISRO Chairman Dr. S. Somanath and IN-SPACe Chairman Dr. Pawan Goenka, underscoring the pivotal role of private players in India’s space aspirations. Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt (Retd.), Director General of ISpA, hails Agnikul's achievement as a historical milestone, signaling a new chapter in India’s private space industry. #AgnikulCosmos #AgnibaanSOrTeD #3DPrintedEngine #IndianSpaceIndustry #ISRO #INSPACe #PrivateSpaceExploration #Sriharikota #startup55

𝐀𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐮𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝’𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞-𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝟑𝐃-𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞 Agnikul Cosmos, an IIT Madras-incubated firm, has launched the world’s first rocket powered by a single 3D-printed engine. On Wednesday, the launch took place at 7:15 a.m. from Sriharikota. The Agnibaan-SOrTeD (sub-orbital technology demonstrator) was launched from Dhanush, India’s first private launchpad founded by the firm. The mission’s goal is to collect critical flight data and guarantee that systems for the startup’s orbital launch vehicle, Agnibaan, operate optimally. Read More: https://lnkd.in/grwh_C9a #AsiaOne #AsiaOneMagazine #AgnikulLaunch #3DPrintedRocket #SpaceInnovation #FutureOfSpace #RocketRevolution #SpaceTech #SinglePieceEngine #3DPrinting #SpaceExploration #InnovativeEngineering #SpaceMilestone #RocketScience #TechInnovation #PioneeringSpace #SpaceLaunch #TechBreakthrough #NextGenRocketry #SpaceFrontier #AdvancedEngineering #3DTechInSpace #tech

History is replete with landmark dates. Everyone remembers where they were the day WWII ended, the day India got independence, the day Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the day Apple II was launched, the day Berlin Wall fell, 9/11, 26/11, you know the drill. I feel we’ve witnessed one such day, a day we’d be reminded of repeatedly in the future. A day that saw a series of firsts: 1. India’s first launch from a privately developed launchpad 2. India’s first semi-cryogenic engine to be completely designed and manufactured indigenously 3. World’s first rocket with a fully 3D printed engine What’s even more endearing is that this feat was achieved in the 5th attempt, which shows the resilience and the tenacity of the AgniKul Cosmos team to power through those challenges. Also, the congratulatory message from ISRO is really the icing on the cake, a stalwart of the sector encouraging a baby step and how! One really needs to commend ISRO - Indian Space Research Organization in the way they’re building the private space market in India through mentorship, guidance, collaboration and unfettered support. Contrast this with the challenges NASA had with promoting private space program after theirs was shutdown due to budgetary challenges in 2010. One has to be amazed by the fact that NASA acted with a ‘fixed mindset’ whereas ISRO is operating with a growth mindset when it comes to the same topic. Who would’ve thought! Finally, credit where it’s due: the entire team at Agnikul, others in the private space market in India (Pixxel, Bellatrix Aerospace, Skyroot Aerospace, Dhruva Space and others) and ISRO. May the tribe grow! Last, but not the least, kudos to the visionary investors who saw opportunities in this space (pun intended). It’s not easy betting on such long term plays: Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, Anand Mahindra, Mayfield Fund, pi Ventures, Speciale Invest, BEENEXT, Artha Venture Fund, LetsVenture, CIIE, Globevestor, Celesta Capital, Rainmatter, Java Capital, Rocketship.vc and many others! #SpaceTech #FinalFrontier #PrivateSpaceProgram #collaboration

Well, turn up the sound to experience India's first AeroSpike engine's static firing test. What you see in the video is a Titanium grade 5-made rocket engine made by an IISc startup - SpaceFields. Specifically, it's an aerospike engine, which means it can adjust to different altitudes and maintain efficiency regardless of atmospheric pressure. This ability makes them a very good candidate for use in Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) rockets rather than conventional bell nozzles. The engine, 168 mm in size, generated 54,485.9 Newton-seconds of impulse in the test. The test used an HTPB-based composite propellant and recorded a maximum pressure of 11 bar, producing a peak thrust of 2000 Newtons. SpaceFields has used their patented Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer-based ablative thermal insulation to protect the spike components from the high heat produced. Founded by Apurwa Masook, Sudarshan Samal, and Rounak Agrawal in 2021, SpaceFields aims to custom-design and build next-generation dual-use rocket propulsion systems for commercial spaceflight & national security. They have been incubated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and supported by the Govt of India and Karnataka & Odisha. Video Credits: SpaceFields #news #rocket #engine #IISc #incubation #startup #India #aerospike #test #new

#AgnikulAgnibaan #ISROAndIITChennai #WorldsFirst3DSemiCryogenicRocketEngine #IndiasIndigenousSpaceTech After 4 attempts, Agnikul launches Agnibaan with India's first 3D-printed rocket engine. The #Agniletengine, the world's first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine, powered the vehicle in a mission that the ISRO called a 'major milestone'. In a significant milestone for India's private space industry, Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched its SOrTeD mission, a single-stage launch vehicle demonstration powered by a semi-cryogenic 3D-printed engine. The mission, lasted approximately two minutes, marked a major achievement for the company and the country in the development of indigenous space technology. ISRO congratulated the Chennai-based space start-up, terming the launch "a major milestone". The successful launch of SOrTeD marks a significant step forward for Agnikul Cosmos, which is targeting the multi-billion-dollar small satellite launch market. The mission's data will help fine-tune the development of the Agnibaan launch vehicle, which is expected to be highly customisable and capable of carrying a 300kg payload to a 700km orbit. The Agnikul startup was founded in 2017 by CEO #SrinathRavichandran, a Wall Street trader-turned-aerospace engineer, operations specialist #MoinSPM, and #SatyanarayananChakravarthy, an IIT Madras professor. The startup was incubated at the IIT Madras Research Park.

Well, 2024 has been another busy launch year for me personally and for Launch Access Ltd. I've managed about 19 personal launches this year across ten launch events ranging from 50Ns to 3500Ns and I've made about 98 commercial launches, mostly CanSat launches, on behalf of the company, somewhere around 117 launches in all. I've built two new commercial rockets (prototypes of the Jackdaw 2 CanSat rocket) and built and flown three new personal rockets, the largest of which was my 'Resounding Thunder', a 10ft tall rocket built to commemorate the 30th anniversary of my first ever high power rocket launch (and, I believe, the first ever insured HPR launch in the UK) with my 'Distant Thunder' rocket flown in July 1994. Of those 117 launches only one was a failure that resulted in the serious damage or destruction of a rocket, and that was the smallest flight which crashed due to a faulty delay/ejection charge in a commercial motor, so about a 99.2% flight and recovery success rate. I also managed to undertake a couple of very large scale hybrid engine firings on behalf of a client, which I can't say much more about for now, but which will hopefully be leading to some VERY serious stuff in 2025/2026. 2025 is looking to be even busier with the UK CanSat competition expanding to a predicted 130+ launches versus this years 100 or so. We will also be making the first five or six launches of our 3.5KNs 'Artemis' rocket carrying 3U cubesats for the UK SEDS competition (funded by the UKSA). Personally, I will be (hopefully) building four new rockets over the year, the largest of which will be my 'Nemesis V' sounding rocket standing 13ft (4m+) tall and 10" (250mm) diameter. We're also now moving ahead with Longbow Space Technologies Ltd and looking to get patents applied for on the first aerospace sector product shortly, then taking in the first seed investment for the company in the spring. My thanks to everyone I have worked with this year, including those who helped on tenders and funding bids which we REALLY should have won but didn't :-) You know who you are :-) Can't wait to get a LOT more hardware in the skies in 2025! Ad astra per laborem! #ukspace #rocket #rocketlaunch #rocketscience #uklaunch