Space start-up Agnikul Cosmos announced on Monday that its future rockets will be fully reusable, enabling the company to offer satellite-launch services at globally competitive prices. The Chennai-based start-up made the announcement at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney, emphasising its goal to ensure that no part of its rockets is expended or left behind.
Technology and strategy
Agnikul successfully carried out its maiden sub-orbital test flight of its 3D-printed rocket, Agnibaan SOrTeD, last year and plans for its orbital launch soon.
Co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos, Srinath Ravichandran, highlighted the company’s foundational approach: "We have consistently designed our vehicles to ensure that affordability and flexibility are never afterthoughts but are built in from day one".
Central to this new strategy are several factors:
- Proprietary Patents: Agnikul has secured multiple patents in the U.S., Europe, and India for its multi-purpose and reusability technologies.
- Core Systems: This effort hinges on Agnikul’s patent covering combined launch vehicle and satellite systems, along with its choice of semi-cryogenic propellant technology, which enables efficient refurbishment and cost-effective re-flights.
- In-House Development: The company's in-house facilities and proprietary autopilot algorithms are key driving forces, with every system designed to support more affordable, customizable launch services while keeping economic scalability at the core.
"We are grateful to the critical support from IN-SPACe and ISRO. Their willingness to allow us to explore rocket-stage recovery and reuse has empowered us to attempt this feat both from a policy friendliness and tech support standpoint," Ravichandran added.
Commercial viability and future outlook
Agnikul is accelerating its development to validate commercially valuable reusable spaceflight technologies.
Moin SPM, co-founder and COO of Agnikul Cosmos, explained the commercial necessity of this shift:
"Our newly-planned strategy enables cost efficiencies at scale, allowing us to deliver launch services at globally-competitive prices for all small satellite missions... Unless we embrace new technologies, small rockets cannot achieve the commercial viability our customers will need".
He noted that the test flight last year was not merely a sounding rocket launch but an "amalgamation of almost all the technologies required for controlled ascent". These innovations are designed to maximize reusability and operational efficiency, reinforcing India's growing role in the global space economy while meeting international debris mitigation standards.
ALSO READ: Axiom-4 mission 'opened doors' for India's microgravity research, says Shubhanshu Shukla
