Editor’s Note
This article highlights a significant milestone in aerospace manufacturing, as an Indian startup pioneers the world’s largest single-piece 3D printed rocket engine. The innovation eliminates traditional assembly, welding, and fasteners, potentially streamlining production and enhancing reliability for future space missions.
Astronauts will now be able to travel to space on rockets powered by Made-in-India engines. Indian space tech startup Agnikul Cosmos has created the world’s largest single-piece 3D printed rocket engine. The key feature is that this engine was not assembled from parts; instead, it was manufactured entirely as one single piece.
This means no welding was done during its construction, and no joints or bolts were used. The Chennai-based space startup produced it in one go using 3D printing technology, and it took only 72 hours to build. Furthermore, the company has also received a patent in the United States for its design and manufacturing process.
Agnikul Cosmos built this engine using a special metal called Inconel, which is strong and corrosion-resistant for space travel. Its advantage is that being a single piece reduces the chances of failure, making rocket launches safer.
This design makes the engine stronger, lighter, and significantly easier to produce. Agnikul states that this could reduce production time by over 60% and lower the probability of technical defects.
This engine will be used in Agnikul’s ‘Agnibaan’ rocket, which can carry a payload of up to 300 kg to an altitude of 700 kilometers. To build this engine, Agnikul’s manufacturing plant is located at the IIT Madras Research Park, which is India’s first 3D printed rocket engine factory.
It was inaugurated in 2022 by Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran and ISRO Chief S. Somanath. Additionally, with support from ISRO and IN-SPACe, Agnikul has received assistance for testing and launching.
Agnikul was founded in 2017 by some IIT Madras graduates—Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM, and Professor S.R. Chakravarthy. They incubated it at the National Center for Combustion Research and Development.
Starting with seed funding of 3 crore rupees, this startup has now raised $40 million (approximately 335 crore rupees).
A Series B funding round of $26.7 million (approximately 234 crore rupees) in 2023 further strengthened it. In 2021, it conducted the first test fire of its ‘Agnilet’ engine, which was a single-piece 3D printed engine.
On May 30, 2024, Agnikul launched its ‘Agnibaan SOrTeD’ (Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator) from its private launchpad ‘Dhanush’. This was India’s first private launchpad, built in Sriharikota.
This mission achieved three major milestones: the first private launch, the first semi-cryogenic engine, and the world’s first single-piece 3D printed engine.
However, its first four attempts failed, but the fifth one succeeded. The rocket flew to an altitude of 8 kilometers and landed in the Bay of Bengal.
Agnikul’s goal is to make space more affordable and accessible. This startup will provide customized launch solutions for payloads ranging from 30 kg to 300 kg. It plans to start regular flights by 2025 and could play a significant role in making India a space superpower in the coming years.
ISRO Chief Dr. S. Somanath called it an example of ‘indigenous innovation,’ while IN-SPACe Chairman Dr. Pawan Goenka said it is a major step for the private space industry. Agnikul’s Co-founder Srinath Ravichandran said, ‘This is the result of our 1000 hours of hard work. Now we are preparing for an orbital mission by the end of 2025.’ On social media and the web, people are calling it a revolution in India’s space technology.
