Agnikul Cosmos's Agnibaan launch vehicle at the launch pad in ISRO's SHAR

Private Indian Spaceflight companies are stepping up to meet the demand for the launch of small satellites, by developing small launch vehicles. Agnibaan by Agnikul Cosmos uses an innovative 3D printed Agnilet engine. The first test flight for the rocket Was deferred minutes before the launch. The launch has been delayed multiple times. The Agnilet engine is 3D printed. This is the first test flight of the second private rocket from India

New Delhi: Agnikul Cosmos has once again deferred the launch of the first test flight of the Agnibaan launch vehicle. The Suborbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD) mission is for evaluating the performance of the Agnibaan rocket, and is the second private Indian rocket launch after the Vikram-S launch by Skyroot Aerospace on 18 November, 2022. The launch attempt was livestreamed by IN-SPACe. No specific reason has been provided so far, for the delay, but the launch was deferred during a health check.

The Agnibaan Flight Marks A Number of Firsts

The Agnibaan rocket has the first indigenously developed semi-cryogenic engine from India. It also has the world’s first and only 3D printed rocket engine that was produced as a single unit. SOrTeD uses thrust vectoring of the actuators over the engine, allowing the rocket to execute a controlled vertical ascent. This will be the first test flight for the rocket. The rocket was also launched from the first private launchpad in India.

Agnibaan Rocket To Be Launched From Sriharikota

The launch will eventually place from ALP-01, the private launch pad of Aginkul Cosmos at Sriharikota. Agnikul Cosmos has set up its own launch pad and mission control centre at ISRO’s spaceport in Sriharikota. These facilities were opened in 2022 in preparation for the launch, which was delayed multiple times in the lead up to the launch because of hiccoughs during prelaunch procedures. Such delays are normal for hardware that is being developed.

The prelaunch procedures began ten hours before the flight, with the loading of the fuel into the rocket. The programme was uploaded to the flight computer, with the launch director giving a final clearance after assessing the condition of the hardware and the environment. According to the planned flight profile, the rocket was to reach an altitude of eight kilometres, before splashing down into the Bay of Bengal, seven kilometres from the launch pad.

(With Inputs From Agencies)