Page 5 - Spec Tech Vol 1 Issue 09
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Agnikul to test launch its rocket in
December; plans to raise $20 m
Image Credit: Agnikul Cosmos
Agnikul Cosmos, the Chennai-based space The company’s focus is to enable space
start-up, which builds small rockets, is set for a transportation with low lead time. “We want to
test launch by December-end in a sub-orbital go to space within a two-week time frame as
level at 50 to 60 km from the Earth from against the present waiting time of 18-24
ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Research months to launch small satellites. The only way
Centre at Sriharikota. “We hope to start to go to space is with the right share and
commercial launches from the second quarter finding the right partner. It is like waiting for a
of 2023,” said Srinath Ravichandran, bus in a bus stop; there should be space in the
Co-Founder and CEO of the company, which bus to take you to the right place,” he said. The
was incubated at IIT-Madras. The company company operates out of the IIT-Madras
has raised around $15 million since its ecosystem, with multiple facilities in and around
inception in December 2017, and plans to soon Chennai for 3D printing rocket engines, a
raise another $20 million with existing investors testing facility and assembly facility.
participating in it, Ravichandran told business Ravichandran said the company’s customers
line. The current investors include Mayfield will be anyone who is building a small satellite
India, PI Ventures, Specialie Invest, Beenext, and wants to go to Low Earth Orbit. The focus
Artha Venture Fund, Lets Venture, CIIE, is on a class of satellite that is less than 300 kg
Globevestor and LionRock (Srihari Kumar). in mass because the company’s rocket can put
Anand Mahindra is also on board the company them in space quicker. “We do that with 2-3
as a major investor, he said.Rocket business is technologies, including 3D printing by making
a logistics business: Agnikul Cosmos’ Srinath rocket engines with a single piece system and
Ravichandran “We have accomplished all of the vehicle is configurable. This means, it can
the sub-system development, and know each be expanded or can be shrunk depending on
of the systems independently. We are now the satellite that’s taken to space,” he said.
putting the vehicle together to make the
integration process work smoothly, so that we The satellites can be launched from a mobile
can start attempting the launches,” he said. launch pad. This is an important factor to
The test launch is to prove all the core enable quick launches, he said.
technologies, he added.
Space Explorer 2022 5
