Agnikul Cosmos is all set to conduct the maiden launch of the Agnibaan launch vehicle on Friday. The maiden test is aimed at validating the working of the first stage of the rocket that will power the vehicle in future missions.

Dubbed Agnibaan SOrTeD, the Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator mission will see the maiden launch from India's first private launchpad which has been developed with assistance from the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro).

The launch will be attended by Isro chief S Somnath, who has been widely supportive of the idea of developing a private aerospace industry in the country. Agnikul Cosmos is the second private company aiming to develop its launch vehicle after Skyroot tested its Vikram-I rocket.

The maiden SOrTeD mission is aimed at three critical components, which include demonstrating India's first launch from a private launchpad, showcasing the country's first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch and using the first single-piece 3D-printed engine designed and built indigenously to power a launch vehicle.

Agnibaan is a three-stage rocket with the first stage powered by seven Agnite engines each delivering 25 kN of thrust at sea level. "All of these engines are electric pump-fed engines allowing for simplified engine design and highly configurable engine clustering architectures," Agnikul Cosmos said.

The launch vehicle is being pegged as a flexible machine to launch small satellites into Low Earth Orbit. The company is aiming to cater to the multi-million dollar satellite launch market as India opens its space sector for private investments.

The 18-meter-long and 1.3-meter-wide launch vehicle can carry a maximum payload of 100 kilograms to a 700 km altitude with a lift-off mass of 14,000 kilograms.

While Agnibaan is a three-stage rocket, the maiden test launch will feature a single-stage launch vehicle powered by the company's homegrown 3D-printed Agnilet engine.

Source: India Today