Indian space-tech start-up Agnikul, with the support of IN-SPACe, has received Flight Termination System (FTS) packages from ISRO as part of its preparation for a fully controlled sub orbital mission from SHAR, Sriharikota.
In the event which was held on Monday, Nov 7, attended by Director VSSC and corresponding teams from IN-SPACe, M/s Agnikul Cosmos and VSSC, the official handing over happened marking the culmination of multiple rounds of interactions about interfacing, handling and using these systems on Agnikul’s vehicles.
This marks the first time that a system that has been used for ISRO’s vehicles is being supplied for supporting a private launch vehicle built in India.
Agnikul’s first mission is a controlled flight tracking a predetermined trajectory. Safety is a key aspect for any such controlled & guided launch and using ISRO’s systems for flight safety is a major step towards addressing this.
Recently, as a part of Agnikul’s preparation for first launch, ISRO facilitated the test firing of Agnikul’s single piece, 3D printed rocket engine – Agnilet at Vertical Test Facility, Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), at Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram.
Commenting on it, Srinath Ravichandran, Co-founder & CEO, Agnikul said, “This is a significant step forward for Agnikul in terms of getting ready for a launch from ISRO’s launchpads. Grateful to IN-SPACe and ISRO for their consistent support through all the interactions we have had in making sure these systems work on our vehicles.”
Moin SPM, Co-founder & COO, Agnikul said, “We are glad to be having the opportunity to interface with a system that ISRO has used on its own vehicles. Besides enhancing mission safety, this milestone further validates the support that ISRO and IN-SPACe are extending to private stakeholders in India.”
Founded in 2017 by Srinath Ravichandran, Moin SPM & Prof. SR Chakravarthy (from IIT Madras), Agnikul is on a mission to make space accessible and affordable and has its eyes set on supporting Honourable PM’s vision of enabling the building of Aatamanirbhar Bharat. The IIT Madras incubated startup became the first Indian company to sign an agreement with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in December 2020. The agreement signed under the IN-SPACe initiative helps Agnikul access ISRO’s expertise and facilities to test its systems.
