Agnikul Cosmos
3D-printed engines and the Agnibaan small-sat rocket
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Overview
Agnikul Cosmos is an Indian private launch startup founded on 1 December 2017 and incubated at IIT Madras, with headquarters at the National Centre for Combustion Research and Development in Chennai. It was co-founded by Srinath Ravichandran (CEO), Moin SPM (COO), IIT Madras professor Satyanarayanan Chakravarthy and Janardhana Raju.
The company is developing Agnibaan, a configurable small-lift orbital rocket designed to carry roughly 100-300 kg to low Earth orbit, powered by a cluster of its Agnilet engines. Agnilet is a single-piece, 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine burning sub-cooled liquid oxygen and aviation turbine fuel, manufactured in-house.
Agnikul has not yet reached orbit. Its standout achievement came on 30 May 2024, when its Agnibaan SOrTeD suborbital demonstrator flew from its own private launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota - India's first launch from a private pad and the world's first flight using a single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine. As of 2026 the company remains active, continuing engine test campaigns and development toward an orbital Agnibaan flight.
Timeline
- Dec 2017
Company founded
Agnikul Cosmos is founded and incubated at IIT Madras in Chennai to build small-satellite launch vehicles.
- 2021
Agnilet 3D-printed engine test-fired
Agnikul successfully test-fires Agnilet, billed as the world's first single-piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine.
- Nov 2022
Private launch pad inaugurated
Agnikul's Dhanush launch pad and mission control, India's first private launch infrastructure, is commissioned at Sriharikota.
- May 2024
First suborbital flight (SOrTeD)
Agnibaan SOrTeD lifts off from Agnikul's private pad - India's first launch from a private launch pad and the first flight of a 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine.