Indian firm successfully test-fires world’s first 3d-printed rocket engine.

February 10, 2023

Agnikul-Cosmos, a space-tech startup incubated in IIT-Madras, has successfully conducted the flight acceptance test for its 3D printed rocket engine “Agnilet”
Unlike other rocket engines, Agnilet was built in a single step, eliminating thousands of parts that are typically assembled in a conventional rocket engine.
It is a semi-cryogenic engine, which uses a mixture of liquid kerosene at room temperature and super cold liquid oxygen as fuel.
During the test, it generated sea level thrust of 6 kilo Newton.
Agnilet Engine will power the company’s launch vehicle, Agnibaan, which is capable of carrying payloads of up to 100kg to a low-earth orbit.
Launch of Agnibaan will be the second by a private firm – after Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace’s Viksram-S, which took place in November 2022.
Earlier Agnikul also unveiled India’s first privately designed and operated rocket launchpad and mission control centre (located at Sriharikota).
It is specifically built to support liquid-stage controlled launches while also addressing ISRO’s need for monitoring key flight safety parameters during launches.