One version of AgniKul’s patented, single-piece, fully 3d printed, semi-cryogenic engine—Agnilet—was successfully test-fired at VSSC
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), the lead Centre of ISRO for the development of launch vehicles, recently facilitated the hot testing of a rocket engine developed by an Indian space start-up, AgniKul. VSSC successfully conducted the 15 s hot test of the Agnilet Engine at its Vertical Test Facility, Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), Thiruvananthapuram. The notification mentioned that the test was carried out as part of an MoU signed between ISRO and M/s Agnikul Cosmos Pvt. Ltd. to provide an opportunity for Indian space start-ups to use the facilities of ISRO through IN-SPACe.
Announcing the successful firing of Agnilet at VSSC, co-founder & CEO at AgniKul, Srinath Ravichandran stated that besides validating a completely new engine design by making it work at ISRO, this also was a huge learning in designing, realising and testing an engine professionally. He thanked his team at AgniKul Cosmos and IN-SPACe and ISRO for their support.
In the official notification, ISRO specified that Agnilet Engine is a regeneratively cooled 1.4 kN semi-cryogenic engine, working at a chamber pressure of 10.8 bar(a) using Liquid oxygen and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) as propellants. This engine is realised through state-of-the-art 3D printing technology and the material of construction is INCONEL-718.
AgniKul Cosmos Private Limited was incorporated in 2017 as an Indian aerospace manufacturer based in the National Center for Combustion R&D of IIT Madras, Chennai. The start-up aims to develop and launch its own small-lift launch vehicle such as the Agnibaan, capable of placing a 100 kg payload into a 700 km orbit. The start-up raised $11 Million in Series A funding last year.
