Agnikul Cosmos

Overview Agnikul Cosmos is an Indian small‑launch company developing customizable, liquid‑fueled rockets and additive‑manufactured engines. Founded in 2017 and incubated at IIT‑Madras in Chennai, Agnikul builds its vehicles and engines at the IIT‑Madras Research Park (“Rocket Factory‑1”) and operates a private launchpad and mission control complex, Dhanush/ALP‑01 and AMCC, within the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Sriharikota). The company’s goal is to provide dedicated, short‑lead‑time access to orbit for micro‑ and small‑satellites. Launch Vehicles • Agnibaan (orbital): A two‑stage, LOX/kerosene small‑satellite launcher with modular, clustered first‑stage engines and a vacuum‑optimized upper stage. Agnibaan is designed for dedicated launches of roughly 30–300 kg class payloads, with mission tailoring for 500–700 km Sun‑synchronous and other low‑Earth orbits. A mobile launch pedestal enables operations from multiple sites, starting with Dhanush/ALP‑01 at Sriharikota. • Agnibaan SOrTeD (suborbital tech demonstrator): A single‑stage variant used to flight‑prove avionics, structures, guidance, and Agnikul’s additively manufactured engine technology. Propulsion • Agnilet: A semi‑cryogenic LOX/kerosene engine manufactured as a single, fully integrated 3D‑printed piece (from propellant inlets to nozzle exit). The engine is designed for rapid production (days), minimal part count, and repeatable performance, and powers Agnibaan’s upper stage; clustered Agnilet‑derived engines power the first stage. Agnikul has expanded its additive‑manufacturing capability with a large‑format facility to print meter‑scale Inconel engine hardware. Launch Sites and Infrastructure • Dhanush/ALP‑01: India’s first private launchpad, paired with the Agnikul Mission Control Centre (AMCC), at SDSC‑SHAR. The pad and control center are separated by ~4 km and built with redundant countdown and range‑safety links. Dhanush’s mobile pedestal architecture supports multiple Agnibaan configurations and transportability. • Range access: Launches are conducted under SDSC range safety with support from ISRO and IN‑SPACe. Key Milestones • May 30, 2024: Agnibaan SOrTeD launched from Dhanush at Sriharikota on a short suborbital mission, marking the first flight of a single‑piece 3D‑printed rocket engine and India’s first semi‑cryogenic engine launch from a private pad. • 2022–2025: Commissioned Rocket Factory‑1 at IIT‑Madras Research Park; conducted a series of hot‑fire tests of the Agnilet engine; inaugurated and later expanded a large‑format additive‑manufacturing facility for meter‑class engine components. Customers and Market Agnikul targets dedicated and on‑demand missions for Earth‑observation, communications, and technology‑demonstration payloads that benefit from bespoke orbits and schedules. The company’s mobile ground architecture is designed to support international launch campaigns as regulatory approvals allow. Financing and Scale Since inception Agnikul has raised multiple venture rounds to scale engine manufacturing, ground infrastructure, and launch operations, including a Series B completed in 2023. The company employs a few hundred staff across engineering, manufacturing, test, and operations in Chennai and at the Sriharikota range.