CHENNAI-BASED space start-up Agnikul Cosmos on Thursday successfully carried out a sub-orbital test-flight of its home-built 3D-printed semi-cryogenic rocket -- Agnibaan -- from its own launch pad at Sriharikota, making it India’s second private entity to do so. After four unsuccessful attempts, the test flight of Agnibaan Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD) on Thursday took place at 7.15 am without any live streaming and in the presence of fewer dignitaries at the Sriharikota launch pad located within ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre. “Humbled to announce the successful completion of our first flight - Mission 01 of Agnibaan SOrTeD - from our own and India’s first and only private Launchpad within SDSC-SHAR at Sriharikota,” Agnikul Cosmos said on X.

 

It said all the mission objectives of this controlled vertical ascent flight were met and performance was nominal. It was also launched from India’s first privately developed launchpad called ‘Dhanush’ established by Agnikul at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The launch pad is located inside ISRO’s rocket port in Sriharikota. The test flight aims to demonstrate the in-house and homegrown technologies, gather crucial flight data, and ensure the optimal functioning of systems for Agnikul’s orbital launch vehicle, the Agnibaan. Agnikul is looking at flying an orbital mission towards the end of the financial year of 2025.