Private firm Agnikul to launch India's first kerosene-oxygen powered rocket 'Agnibaan' in March

Private firm Agnikul to launch India's first kerosene-oxygen powered rocket 'Agnibaan' in March

Indian launch vehicle company Agnikul Cosmos is targeting a March 2023 launch for its rocket "Agnibaan", which will be India's first rocket to be powered by a combination of kerosene and liquid oxygen. The maiden flight would be carried out from India's spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota and is to be a sub-orbital flight, which means that the rocket would not venture into space. This rocket is capable of lifting payloads weighing up to 100 kg to orbits around 700 kms above the earth's surface.

In November 2022, Agnikul had inaugurated India's first private rocket launch pad and mission control centre. This facility is situated within the ISRO spaceport at Sriharikota.

An another Indian startup Skyroot had launched India's first private rocket, Vikram-S, successfully in the same month.

India's first private rocket, built by startup Skyroot, makes successful launch

 

What kind of payloads will this company be launching?

 

Satellite payloads around 100 kgs or 220 pounds.

 

It's India. They have far worse environmental issues.

 

Kerosene as a fuel is considered to be far less toxic and carcinogenic compared to Hydrazine, which is the fuel used in fighter jets, missiles and aerospace industry in the west. There are ongoing efforts by the EU to ban Hydrazine and replace it with other less toxic fuels.