Spacetech Start-up AgniKul Aims to Make Space Affordable in India

Aakash Sharma — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 12:35:04 +0000

AgniKul Cosmos Private Limited is one of the leading aerospace manufacturers in India with the goals of developing and launching its own small-lift launch vehicle, namely Agnibaan, in 2022. This space technology start-up is based out of the National Centre for Combustion R&D (NCRD) in IIT Madras.

The company was founded by Srinath Ravichandran and Moin SPM within IIT Madras with an initial capital of Rs 3 crore to develop and launch its first rocket, followed by the ability to provide launch services for satellites weighing up to 500 kg. As of December 2020, the company had raised about $4 million in funding and it is now under the guidance of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

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AgniKul designs, manufactures, tests and launches orbital missiles for micro and nanosatellites. The start-up's team comprises a unique combination of scientists, engineers, former bankers and space lawyers.

Women Engineers and Scientists lead AgniKul’s Chief Projects

Engineering is at the heart of what AgniKul Cosmos does. Its teams are led by young women of proven scientific courage and enthusiasm. Uma Maheshwari, Saraniya P and Arushi Chaudhary of the AgniKul Cosmos team are the heads of the company’s ground testing and production team.

Uma Maheshwari single-handedly led Agnilet, the company’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine firing. Saraniya P is the Vehicle Design Lead of Agnibaan. She leads vehicle design at AgniKul – coordinating operations across a highly diverse team base with conflicting needs. Arushi Chaudhary, the Agnibaan Avionics Systems Engineering Lead at AgniKul Cosmos, heads all the avionics systems engineering work at AgniKul.

AgniKul’s very own Launch vehicle – Agnibaan

Agnibaan, which means “arrow of fire”, is a mobile launch system that can lift payloads within a range from 100 km to 700 km. In the first phase, the rocket will be based on the payload of cluster engines in various facilities and use only liquid oxygen or kerosene engines. It is supposed to be manufactured by 3D printing to make the process steady and less costly.

Development of state-of-the-art Affordable Space Engines

In February 2021, AgniKul tested the semi-cryogenic rocket engine Agnilet, which will propel the second stage of the Agnibaan rocket in future. The machine has been developed in one piece using 3D printing with no assembled parts, making it a modern and cost-effective operation for start-ups in the aerospace technology category.

What’s in it for other space tech start-ups?

Several start-ups have grown up in the Indian aerospace and space tech sector, seeking the benefits of the growing global space domain. They have developed innovative technologies, products and services, but lack solid financial, regulatory and policy support.

In 2021, India’s start-up ecosystem for space technology witnessed mega policy support from the government and vast investor interest. After the Indian government opened up the sector to private players, investor interest increased and is expected to be successful.

Under the leadership of ISRO combined with efficient R&D, new space technology players can enter the industry and deliver economical, cost-effective and scientifically successful solutions to India’s space exploration journey.

From the development of local launch vehicles to the launch of India’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) service, from interstellar and reconnaissance missions to space exploration, the list of what lies ahead for start-ups to explore is extensive. Now there is excellent backing for new players to make it through the journey, successfully.

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Space Start-Ups in India And What Are They Building

Aakash Sharma — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 00:35:03 +0000

With a positive outlook and a commercial manoeuvre, it looks like the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is becoming a facilitator. The space agency is looking towards the private sector to play a more prominent role in space technology. Despite the economic gut punch thrown by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021-22 budget did not slash the space sector’s funding; instead it gave the sector a 3.48% increase.

The funds of New Space India Limited, the ISRO’s commercial arm, have increased by 138 times. The government aims to generate revenue from the intellectual property of ISRO and add it as a crucial sector of the Indian economy.

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The global space economy is set at $360 billion, of which India's space industry currently accounts for about 2% at $7 billion.

ISRO Working Closely with Space Start-ups

To consolidate India’s potential in the aerospace industry, the government is now turning to start-ups. As ISRO is indulging with several start-ups, agencies within the Ministry of Science and Technology, namely the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL), are also working towards the same goal of promoting start-ups. The two agencies are setting up an innovation incubator with external private funding to help develop new aerospace businesses.

The government will control, incubate and help guide start-ups develop their products and services about space tech. And the collaboration further will help create employment opportunities for young people. This move will undoubtedly strengthen the Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme which is the government’s flagship growth model for this decade.

Who Are the Space Players in India?

Indian start-up Agnikul Cosmos is the world’s first company to test a fully 3D printed rocket motor. Agnikul was the first Indian start-up to enter into a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with the Department of Space (DOS) and the recently established Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to conduct joint space research and programmes.

The Hyderabad-based space start-up Skyroot Aerospace was founded in 2018 by former ISRO scientists to build space launch vehicles. Skyroot and ISRO are working together to develop a fixed-launch rocket that can be used to launch satellites into a lower orbit and create a private space ecosystem. Skyroot has signed a non-disclosure agreement with the Space Ministry to access ISRO facilities and technical expertise to build the rocket.

Bellatrix Aerospace is a private space company in India and was launched in 2015. The company plans to launch rockets and satellites for domestic and global markets. It has signed a memorandum of understanding with ISRO to promote India’s space engineering efforts. According to the contract, the Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) developed by Bellatrix will be used on the Vikram launcher’s upper tiers developed by Skyroot. An OTV is a spacecraft that can carry loads in a specific orbit so that the launcher can transmit satellites into orbit.

Pixxel is another space technology start-up that aims to place 30 Earth observation microsatellite constellations in the solar synchronous orbit. ISRO plans to launch the first Brazilian satellite, Amazonia-1, and three Indian payloads, including Pixxel’s first satellite- Anand, on February 28, 2021.

Utilising Potential

To increase the country’s space sector potential, the government’s landmark decision to allow the private sector to use ISRO facilities and other related assets for enhancing their capabilities is undoubtedly going to pay manifold in future. In setting up the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), the government is setting a level playing field for private companies using India’s space infrastructure. This will strengthen ISRO’s commitment to start-ups and grow the space and technology industry as a critical economic domain.

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