Agnikul set to conduct sub-orbital mission by end of March

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Agnikul Cosmos Private Ltd, a private rocket maker has been planning a sub-orbital mission for its Agnibaan rocket. The rocket is set to launch by this month-end as it waits for official permission- and officials in the space sector. The company will launch its rocket from its launch pad in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The launch pad is located inside the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) rocketport in Sriharikota.

A senior official of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) told IANS preferring anonymity, “Agnikul’s application for the permission to launch its rocket in a suborbital flight is under our consideration."

“The company’s rocket is on its launch pad here. The company is looking for a launch sometime towards this month-end,” an official of ISRO in Sriharikota told IANS, not wishing to be named.

The rocket Agnibaan SOrTeD (SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator) is expected to fly between March 22 and March 28.

The company just mentioned on X: “March 22 - 28, 2024.”

About Agnibaan

According to Agnikul, Agnibaan is a two-stage rocket with a capacity to carry up to 300 kg to a height of 700 km. The rocket engines are powered by liquid oxygen/kerosene. Agnibaan can access both low and high-inclination orbits and is completely mobile - designed for accessing more than 10 launch ports, the company said.

Agnikul Co-founder and CEO Srinath Ravichandran was not available for comments when contacted by IANS.

Incidentally, as per the launch manifesto issued by IN-SPACe earlier, the following space missions are slated before the end of this fiscal:

• AGNIBAAN-SORTeD (Suborbital mission) – Agnikul Cosmos
• SSLV D3/ ISRO Primary Payload, Space Rickshaw and IIT-M Satellite

The space missions lined up in 2024-25 are:

ISRO/User-funded Space Missions:

1. PSLV C60: ISRO Payload & POEM-4
2. GSLV F15/ ISRO Payload
3. PSLV C61/ ISRO Payload
4. GSLV F16 /ISRO Payload
5. PSLV C63/ISRO Payloads
6. GSLV F17 / ISRO payload

Commercial space missions:

1. PSLV C59: NSIL Primary Payload, SCOT, CGUSAT, LEAP-1
2. LVM3 M5: NSIL Payload
3. PSLV C62: PROBA-3
4. PSLV N1: TDS-01
5. SSLV S1: TBD, PARIKSHIT
6. PSLV N2: TBD, Aadyah, DRISHTI, Sanskardhaam, DS P30 (2nos)
7. SSLV S2: TBD, Azista60°

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