Agnibaan SOrTeD
Agnikul Cosmos
Agnikul Cosmos's single-stage suborbital demonstrator that became the world's first launch of a single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine.
Technical specifications
- Type
- Suborbital Technology Demonstrator
- Engine
- Agnilet (single-piece 3D-printed, LOX/Kerosene)
- Engine Thrust
- ~6 kN
- Flight Date
- May 30, 2024
- Achievement
- World's first flight of a single-piece 3D-printed engine
- Launch Site
- Sriharikota, India (Agnikul private launchpad)
About
Agnibaan SOrTeD (SubOrbital Technology Demonstrator) is a single-stage suborbital vehicle developed by Agnikul Cosmos to demonstrate the company’s proprietary Agnilet engine and launch operations from India’s first private launchpad at Sriharikota. On May 30, 2024, Agnibaan SOrTeD became the first rocket in the world to fly powered by a single-piece 3D-printed engine, reaching an altitude of approximately 6.5 km before executing a controlled flight profile.
The Agnilet engine is manufactured using additive manufacturing (3D printing) as a single, seamless component with no welds or joints — a world first in orbital-class engine technology. The engine runs on LOX/kerosene and produces approximately 6 kN of thrust. Agnikul developed its own 3D printing facilities at its Chennai manufacturing center to produce the engines.
Agnikul is developing the Agnibaan orbital launch vehicle using the same engine technology, targeting delivery of up to 300 kg to LEO across multiple orbital inclinations from its semi-cryogenic propulsion system. The SOrTeD demonstrator flight validated the engine, ground systems, and mission control systems ahead of the orbital program.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.