Agnikul Cosmos Calls Off Maiden Rocket Launch for Fourth Time

For the fourth time in the last three months, India’s space startup Agnikul Cosmos called off the test flight of its first rocket just seconds before it was due to launch. Scheduled for 5:45 a.m. IST (0015 GMT) on Tuesday, the launch was initially delayed less than six minutes before lift-off “due to a technical glitch in the countdown activities.” Officials rescheduled the lift-off for 9:25 a.m., but only five seconds before the new time, the launch was put on “temporary hold to check igniter performance” and subsequently called off altogether.

This latest attempt marked the fourth cancellation due to technical issues, including one flight that was aborted about 90 seconds before lift-off. The mission was expected to last two minutes and test Agnikul’s new “semi-cryogenic” engine and 3D-printed parts, which, if successful, would have represented a significant technological advancement for India. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has not yet successfully flown a semi-cryogenic engine, which uses a mix of liquid and gas for propellant.

Agnikul Cosmos’ Agnibaan rocket is a customisable, 2-stage launch vehicle capable of carrying up to 300 kg (about 660 lb) of payload to orbits around 700 km (435 miles) in altitude. This is a stark contrast to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, which can put up to 63,500 kgs into low Earth orbit.

The rocket launch was set to be a landmark for Agnikul Cosmos, founded in 2017, which operates India’s first private launchpad and mission control centre. All other launchpads in the country are operated by ISRO. Agnikul’s name is derived from the Hindi and Sanskrit word for fire.

India’s first privately developed rocket was successfully flown by the company Skyroot from ISRO’s launch site in 2022.