Agnikul inaugurates India’s first private space vehicle launch pad in Sriharikota

Source: The post is based on the article “Agnikul inaugurates India’s first private space vehicle launch pad in Sriharikota” published in Indian Express on 1st December 2022.

What is the News?

Chennai-based space tech startup Agnikul Cosmos inaugurated India’s first private space vehicle launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre(SDSC) in Sriharikota.

What is Agnikul Launchpad Facility?

Agnikul launchpad facility has been designed and will be fully operated by space startup Agnikul Cosmos.

The facility has two parts: the Agnikul launchpad and the Agnikul mission control centre, which are four kilometers apart.

The launchpad has been designed to accommodate and support liquid stage-controlled launches.

Agnikul is planning to launch its Agnibaan rocket from this launchpad.

What is Agnibaan Rocket?

Agnibaan is a two-stage launch vehicle that is capable of taking payloads of up to 100 kilograms to a low-earth orbit around 700 kilometres from the surface of the Earth. 

The Agnibaan rocket will be powered by the company’s 3D-printed Agnilet engines. 

Note: Agnilet is the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine fully designed and manufactured in India. It was successfully test-fired by Agnikul at IIT Madras in 2021.

– It is a “semi-cryogenic” engine that uses a mixture of liquid kerosene and super cold liquid oxygen to propel itself.