AgniKul Cosmos Postpones Maiden Rocket Launch Due to Technical Issue

• ByStartupStory     |    March 22, 2024

AgniKul Cosmos, the IIT-Madras incubated startup, has announced the postponement of its maiden rocket launch, citing a ‘technical issue’. Originally scheduled for March 22 at 7 am from its private launch pad located within the campus of ISRO at Sriharikota in neighboring Andhra Pradesh, the mission named ‘Agnibaan SOrTeD’ (Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator) has been delayed indefinitely.

In a social media post, the Chennai-headquartered company stated, “AgniKul is holding the launch out of an abundance of caution based on certain minor observations from the full countdown rehearsals last night. Will keep you all posted on the new date and time. Thanks for all the support. The event is cancelled for tomorrow, Friday, March 22, 2024.”

AgniKul Cosmos aimed to demonstrate the accessibility and economic efficiency of space transportation through its orbital launch vehicle ‘Agnibaan’ with the Friday launch. An official release from the Press Information Bureau confirmed the postponement, stating, “The launch of Agnibaan SOrTeD Mission, scheduled at 7 am IST on March 22, has been postponed due to a technical issue. The launch date will be announced later.”

The inaugural flight of Agnibaan SOrTeD was intended to serve as a test flight, collecting essential flight data and ensuring the optimal functioning of systems. The mission features the World’s first single piece 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket engine, marking a significant milestone in space technology.

The 6.2-meter rocket, with a lift-off mass of 575 kg, is equipped with sub-cooled Liquid Oxygen and Aviation Turbine Fuel as its propellants. Post lift-off, the rocket was supposed to reach an altitude of approximately 10 km before making a controlled splashdown in the Bay of Bengal, about 10 km away from the Eastern Coast, according to the mission schedule.

This postponement echoes the complexities involved in space missions, even for private entities. It comes after Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace made history as the first private space startup to successfully launch its maiden rocket, Vikram-S, in 2022, signaling the entry of the private sector into India’s space ecosystem.

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