Private firm Agnikul to launch India's first kerosene-oxygen powered rocket 'Agnibaan' in March
The rocket is said to be made to specific dimensions to ensure that it can easily fit into a shipping container or trailer.
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New Delhi, January 27: Indian launch vehicle company Agnikul Cosmos is targeting a March 2023 launch for its rocket "Agnibaan" from India's spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota and is to be a sub-orbital flight, which means that the rocket would not venture into space. This will be the country's first rocket to run on kerosene and liquid oxygen.
This rocket is capable of lifting payloads weighing up to 100 kg to orbits around 700 kms above the earth's surface.
Agnikul's CEO Srinath Ravichandran revealed the plans for the maiden launch, while speaking at the SpaceTech Summit organized at IIT Madras, as part of the Shaastra technical fest. He said that the test flight is aimed at validating their technology and proving the performance of the various systems and sub-systems of the vehicle which weighs 14 tonnes at launch, stands 18 meters tall and is 1.3 meters in diameter.
The rocket is said to be made to specific dimensions to ensure that it can easily fit into a shipping container or trailer.
According to the company, their vehicle will comprise of two stages, where the first stage comprises of a cluster of engines known as 'Agnite' and the second stage comprises of the 'Agnilet' engine. Both these engines are semi-cryogenic, which means that they use a combination of fuels - refined kerosene (stored at room temperature) and super cooled liquid oxygen. Both engines used by Agnikul are designed and developed by them in India and are single-piece, 3-D printed engines, said to be the first in the world.
Sharing the salient features of their rocket, Agnikul's COO, Moin SPM said that the first stage was customizable and could be fitted with anywhere between (minimum of) four to (maximum of) seven engines, as per mission requirement. The rocket engines would also be utilizing fuel pumps that are powered by batteries and electric motors. To ensure safe export and transportation of their rocket, the firm ensured that the rocket comprises of no explosives or pyrotechnics. Typically, rockets use small explosive bolts to jettison spent stages, but Agnikul will be making use of pneumatic systems for the same.
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In November 2022, Agnikul had inaugurated India's first private rocket launch pad and mission control centre. This facility is situated within the ISRO spaceport at Sriharikota. However, unlike other rockets that operate from India, Agnikul is working on a method where the rocket can be launched from a pedestal on the back of a truck. The test launch of Agnibaan will have all the avionics, telemetry and guidance systems, as would normally be used in the commercial launches of the rocket.
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