India’s inaugurates its first Startup-Operated Launchpad, Mission Control Centre
- ByStartupStory | November 29, 2022
Space startup Agnikul Cosmos announced on Monday that India’s first launchpad and mission control centre designed and operated by them has been inaugurated at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. This launchpad will mark India’s first privately operated launchpad. Agnikul Cosmos was incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, and also plans to launch its customizable Agnibaan rocket from the launchpad before the end of 2022.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath inaugurated the Agnikul Launchpad on November 25. Upon the launch of India’s 1st Startup-Operated Launchpad, Mission Control Centre Agnikul Cosmos co-founder, and CEO said, “It is a dream come true for all of us.”
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath inaugurated the Agnikul Launchpad on November 25. The facility, designed by Agnikul Cosmos and executed with the support of ISRO and IN-SPACe, has two sections — the Agnikul Launchpad (ALP) and the Agnikul Mission Control Center (AMCC). Agnikul Cosmos was founded in 2017 by Ravichandran, Moin, and Professor S R Chakravarthy of IIT-Madras, Agnikul aims to make space accessible and affordable.
“The first exclusive launchpad for a private launch vehicle has come up at the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC). Now, India can travel to space from one more space platform. Thanks to Agnikul,” S Somanath said. ISRO operates two launchpads at the SDSC. Agnikul co-founder and CEO Srinath Ravichandran said, “It is a dream come true for all of us at Agnikul to launch our vehicles from a facility we have designed and built ourselves.” Agnikul’s first launch from this pad will be a controlled and guided mission. It will have a vertical launch using its patented engine, according to a statement issued by the startup.
It said Agnibaan is a highly customizable two-stage launch vehicle capable of taking up to 100 kg payload to orbits around 700 km high and enables plug-and-play configuration. The Chennai-based start-up has also developed Agnilet, the world’s first single-piece 3D printed engine, which was successfully test-fired last year.
Additionally, it has the ability to, as necessary, share data and other critical information with ISRO’s Mission Control Center, the statement said. “We never imagined to have Agnikul’s launchpad inside Sriharikota for our launches and this has only been possible with the consistent support of ISRO and IN-SPACe,” co-founder of Agnikul, Moin SPM, said.
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