Agnikul once again calls off their maiden rocket launch for the 4th time
One of the notable spacetech startups across the country, Agnikul has once again cancelled their maiden launch of rocket, the privately-built rocket by them. They cancelled the decision of launch just few seconds before the planned launch.
As per the media report, the launch, initially was scheduled for 05:45 AM, which was first postponed less than six minutes before the take-off on account of a “technical glitch in the countdown activities”.
After that, the new schedule was provided for lift-off at 9.25am. It was again kept on hold for in order to check igniter performance, just five seconds before the actual launch. As the result the whole process of the maiden launch was called off for the day.
Counting all the trials, this is the fourth time that the company has called off the maiden rocket launch. Even the previous attempts were marred by technical issues with the lift-off, delaying the timeline for the launch of India’s second privately built rocket.
The spacetech startup’s first attempt to launch Agnibaan, on March 22, was delayed over “unavoidable circumstances”. On April 6, the launch was yet again postponed before being rescheduled for April 7, which was also rescheduled citing technical issues.
If the company get success in the launch,it would be marked as a significant lift for the country as Agnikul would have become the first company to successfully fly a semi-cryogenic engine.
The flight will involve a vertical take-off and follow a predetermined trajectory while performing a series of manoeuvers during the flight. The flight events, as per the startup, have been configured to validate key technologies that will be integral to the company’s future missions.
Agnikul claimed that,the two-stage launch vehicle called Agnibaan SOrTeD (SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator)is able to carry a payload of up to 300 kg into orbit of about 700 km. With a plug-and-play engine configuration, the rocket is 18 metres long and has a diameter of 1.3 metres. The rocket has a lift-off mass of 14,000 kgs. The startup claims that the launch vehicle is driven by an entirely 3D-printed, single-piece, 6 kN semi-cryogenic engine called Agnilet.
The successful flight of Agnikul’s follows another homegrown spacetech startup Skyroot’s 2022 launch of the Vikram-S rocket.
Agnikul was founded by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM, and SR Chakravarthy in 2017 as the country’s first private launch vehicle for small satellites. The company can assist clients looking to launch small satellites and reduce their dependence on expensive large launch vehicles.
Agnikul was incubated at IIT-Madras an got the opportunity to sign an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in December 2020 as the first Indian spacetech startup.
Agnikul last raised 
200 Cr in its Series B funding round from Celesta Capital, Rocketship.vc, Artha Venture Fund, Mayfield India, among others. As per the report of Inc42 Datalabs, the Chennai-based startup has raised $61.24 million in funding till date.
200 Cr in its Series B funding round from Celesta Capital, Rocketship.vc, Artha Venture Fund, Mayfield India, among others. As per the report of Inc42 Datalabs, the Chennai-based startup has raised $61.24 million in funding till date..jpg "Karya Kalpa : Creating Spaces that Tell Unique Stories, Inspiring Comfort with Ecofriendly, User-friendly, & Budget-friendly Solutions")
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