Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian startup launches country's second privately built rocket

Agnikul Cosmos said all the mission objectives of this controlled vertical ascent flight from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre were met

Indian startup launches country's second privately built rocket

INDIA'S Agnikul Cosmos launched its Agnibaan rocket for the first time on Thursday (30) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

It is powered by the only Indian rocket engine to use both gas and liquid fuel in the country's second flight of a privately built rocket.


The Agnibaan's first flight had been called off four times in the last two months because of technical issues. The most recent cancellation was Tuesday, when the launch was aborted five seconds before lift-off.

On Thursday, the customisable, two-stage launch vehicle designed to carry a payload of up to 300 kg (661 lb) into an orbit of about 700 kilometres altitude (435 miles) flew for two minutes to a maximum altitude, or apogee, of 8,076 metres before splashing down into the ocean.

"Humbled to announce the successful completion of our first flight - Mission 01 of Agnibaan SOrTeD - from our own and India's first and only private Launchpad within SDSC-SHAR at Sriharikota," Agnikul Cosmos said on X.

It said all the mission objectives of this controlled vertical ascent flight were met and performance was nominal.

"The vehicle was completely designed in-house and was powered by the world's first single piece 3D printed engine and also happens to be India's first flight with a semi-cryo engine," the start-up said.

Agnikul is looking at flying an orbital mission towards the end of the financial year of 2025.

Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace was the first private Indian entity to launch its sub-orbital rocket Vikram-S in November 2022.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath said, "The success involving many firsts including 3D printed semi-cryogenic engine and flight control systems demonstrate the prowess of indigenous design and innovation. It motivates ISRO to support the Space startups and Non-governmental entities to create a vibrant space ecosystem in the country."

Pawan Goenka, Chairman of the space regulator Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) said the successful launch of Agnibaan SOrTeD was a historic moment for India's space sector.

Agnikul Cosmos is a Chennai-headquartered space start-up founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM, and Satya Chakravarthy.

The Agnikul team consists of over 200 engineers and is associated with National Centre for Combustion Research and Development at IIT Madras. It is also guided by 45 former ISRO scientists. (Agencies)

More For You

Modi arrives in Saudi Arabia to strengthen strategic ties

Prime minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (22)

Modi arrives in Saudi Arabia to strengthen strategic ties

INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi arrived in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah on Tuesday (22) for his third visit as prime minister to the oil-rich Gulf kingdom.

The trip came a day after Modi held talks with US vice-president JD Vance in India, with New Delhi looking to seal a trade deal with Washington and stave off punishing tariffs.

Keep ReadingShow less
Veterans urge nation to 'unite and remember' in VE Day letter

Samina Mahroof, a cutter at the JW Plant Flag Company works on flag orders ahead of the VE Day 80th anniversary on March 18, 2025 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

Veterans urge nation to 'unite and remember' in VE Day letter

TEN surviving Second World War veterans, including three from the British Indian Army, have written an open letter urging people across the UK to come together and remember the sacrifices made during the war.

Launched on Wednesday (23) by the /Together Coalition, the letter is part of a wider campaign marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, which falls on May 5.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vinay Narwal

Lieutenant Vinay Narwal of the Indian Navy, 26, from Haryana, was among those killed in the attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam.

Photo: X/@indiannavy

Navy officer on honeymoon, grandfather vacationing with grandkids among 26 killed in Kashmir attack

LIEUTENANT Vinay Narwal of the Indian Navy had been married just six days earlier. He was on his honeymoon in Pahalgam when he was shot in the head by a terrorist while eating bhelpuri with his wife.

Manjunatha, a tourist from Karnataka, was asked if he was Hindu or Muslim before being shot dead.

Keep ReadingShow less
Who is Saifullah Kasuri, the  mastermind behind Pahalgam attack?

Saifullah Kasuri

Who is Saifullah Kasuri, the  mastermind behind Pahalgam attack?

THE tourist town of Pahalgam in India's Jammu and Kashmir witnessed one of the worst terror attacks in the region on Tuesday (22) since the abrogation of Article 370. A group of heavily armed terrorists opened fire on unsuspecting tourists at Baisaran meadow, killing 26 people and injuring many more.

The attack sent shockwaves across the country and drew condemnation from leaders both in India and abroad. Within hours, a group known as The Resistance Front (TRF), widely believed to be a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hertfordshire Police treat vandalism of Muslim graves as Islamophobic hate crime

The damage to plaques at Carpenders Park Cemetery has sparked outrage in the Muslim community

Hertfordshire Police treat vandalism of Muslim graves as Islamophobic hate crime

Grant Williams

HERTFORDSHIRE Police have said they are “confident” the desecration of Muslim graves at a cemetery in north London “was a religiously motivated act”.

The leader of the council that owns the cemetery visited the site last week to speak to grieving families following the horrific incident.

Keep ReadingShow less