Another Indian space-tech business has achieved a world first as it prepares to launch the nation’s first private rocket into space.
3D Printed Engine: World’s First
The first single-piece 3D printed engine has been successfully tested by Chennai-based Agnikul Cosmos, a startup in space technology. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram successfully test-fired the engine at its vertical test site at Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station. The single-piece engine “Agnilet” from Agnikul was entirely developed and produced in India, marking a significant advancement for the nation’s 3D printing industry.
Agnibaan: Launch Vehicle
The startup’s launch vehicle, called “Agnibaan,” will transport up to 100 to 300 kg of payload to LEO (Low Earth Orbit) due to the successful engine test (up to 700 km altitude). The experiment was conducted to confirm the technical feasibility of producing rocket engines using 3D printing and as a single piece. Agnikul just revealed that they had received a patent from the government for creating their single-piece rocket engines. Additionally, it has announced the opening of Rocket Factory-1, the country’s first rocket facility for 3D printing, which is located in the IIT Madras Research Park.
Srinath Ravichandran, an engineer from the College of Guindy and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Illinois, and Moin SPM, an aerospace engineer with a degree from Anna University and an MBA in aeronautics from the University of Newcastle, founded Agnikul.
Agnikul: About
Agnikul, a space technology startup with its headquarters in Chennai, had successfully test-fired its single-piece 3D-printed engine, Agnilet, at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, at the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) which is a Vertical Test Facility.
Rocket Launch: With the assistance of ISRO & IN-SPACe
This test was carried out with the assistance of IN-SPACe and ISRO to confirm the technological possibility that rocket engines can be manufactured as a single piece of hardware.
The startup recently declared that it had received a patent from the Indian government for creating its single-piece rocket engines. The world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine, Agnilet, was created and produced in India. At IIT Madras, a successful test firing was placed in 2021. This latest test at TERLS has approved the start-design up’s and production processes.
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