Space-Tech Start-up Agnikul to Flight Test 3D-printed Engine by Year-End
Chennai-based start-up Agnikul is gearing up to launch its groundbreaking rocket, Agnibaan, featuring the world's first 3D-printed engine. The company, incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, is set to conduct a technology demonstrator mission by the end of this year, paving the way for its first commercial launch in 2024.
Agnibaan boasts the pioneering Agnilet engine, a single-piece 3D-printed marvel, designed and manufactured entirely in India. This engine, successfully test-fired in early 2021, marked a significant milestone in 3D printing technology for the country. Unlike traditional sounding rockets, Agnibaan is a highly customisable, single-stage launch vehicle capable of carrying up to 300 kg payloads to orbits around 700 km high (low Earth orbits).