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Agnikul Cosmos Successfully Conducts India’s First Electric Motor-Driven Semi-Cryogenic Engine Test Firing.

Science and Technology | Dated: 27 May 2025

On 23rd May 2025, Chennai-based space start-up AgniKul Cosmos Private Limited successfully conducted India’s first test firing of an electric motor-driven semi-cryogenic engine, intended to power its upcoming Agnibaan launch vehicle.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - This is the first time such an engine has been developed and tested in India. The engine uses electric motor-driven throttling, allowing higher accuracy and rapid response crucial for complex space mission trajectories, demonstrated by its ability to throttle across a wide range of thrust levels.
  • - AgniKul Cosmos designed the engine with a unique single-piece design and several pump sub-systems that were 3D-printed and assembled at their Rocket Factory-1 located in IIT Madras Research Park, Chennai.
  • - The company also developed the motor drives and control software for the engine internally, showcasing strong capabilities in hardware and software integration.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) This successful firing is a key milestone that may lead to clustered engine tests—firing multiple engines simultaneously—essential for building larger, more powerful launch vehicles capable of carrying heavier payloads.
  • (ii) The event highlights AgniKul Cosmos’s dedication to innovation and India's self-reliance in space technology, contributing significantly to the domestic space propulsion ecosystem.
  • (iii) Semi-cryogenic engines use a combination of cryogenic Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and refined kerosene (RP-1) as fuel, offering higher efficiency than solid or hypergolic-fueled engines. AgniKul’s engine is India’s first homegrown electric motor-driven semi-cryogenic engine, a technology already used globally in rockets like SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Russia’s Soyuz.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Which space start-up successfully conducted India’s first electric motor-driven semi-cryogenic engine test firing?

Correct Answer: AgniKul Cosmos

🚀 Quick Recap:

About Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited

  • CEO : Srinath Ravichandran
  • Headquarters : Tamil Nadu (TN)