India’s SpaceTech Startup Agnikul Bags ₹200 Crore, To Revolutionize Space Travel
Agnikul Cosmos, an Indian space-tech startup, has just pulled in Rs 200 crore in Series B funding. That’s about $26.7 million, pushing the total money they’ve got so far to $40 million. Big names like Celesta Capital, Rocketship.vc, and Artha Venture Fund have put in their money.
Started in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran and Moin SPM, it’s a firm all about rockets and space tech. They kicked off at IIT Madras. Their big dream is to make space access simple and cheap. They’ve been doing some revolutionary spactech things like launching ‘Agnilet’, a 3D-printed rocket engine. It was so good, the Indian government even gave them a patent last year.
Their new rocket called Agnibaan SOrTeD aims to carry up to 100 kg of stuff into space, as far as 700 km above Earth. ‘SOrTeD’ stands for SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator. They’re prepping this rocket at country’s own launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, a major space center in Sriharikota.
AMCC is Agnikul’s Mission Control Center. This is the place where they monitor and run their rockets, basically the brain of the operation.
The new funding is gonna help Agnikul get even bigger. They want to launch more rockets, like 25 or 50 in the future. They’re also planning to make some mobile launchpads and special test setups. They are also planning for on-demand space launches.
Also Read: 5 Prominent Space Exploration Missions of ISRO By 2025
Agnikul isn’t just about dreams; they’re about action. They’ve got a 3D printing factory for rocket engines and are the first in the world to design a rocket engine that can be 3D printed in one piece.
This is huge for India. Our country is killing it in space tech and startups. From ISRO to private players like Agnikul, we’re capturing attention and appreciation both at home and globally. We’re not just catching up; we’re setting the pace. So yeah, India’s future in space and tech is looking bright!