IN-SPACE chief sets sights on $44 bn space economy by 2023 for India

On Thursday, space startup Agnikul Cosmos launched its Agnibaan rocket, achieving significant milestones in India’s burgeoning private space sector.

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This launch, powered by the only Indian rocket engine using both gas and liquid fuel, marks the country’s second successful flight of a privately built rocket. Pawan Goenka, chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), discussed the implications of this achievement for India’s space industry.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin dominate the global space industry, from reusable rockets to space tourism. Traditionally, India’s space industry has been public-sector driven, but this is rapidly changing. Agnikul Cosmos’ successful mission comes shortly after the postponement of their Agnibaan’s “SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator or SOrTeD” mission, and it sets a precedent for future private sector accomplishments in India.

Agnikul Cosmos achieved three major milestones with this mission: conducting India’s first private launch from a dedicated launchpad (the Agnikul Launch Pad in Sriharikota named Dhanush), demonstrating the country’s first semicryogenic engine-powered rocket launch, and utilizing the first single-piece 3Dprinted engine designed and built domestically to power a launch vehicle.