₹200 crore RDI Fund support to Agnikul for a fully reusable Agnibaan launch vehicle

The Agnibaan RLV project: what happened?

Most rockets are thrown away after one flight. Reusing them cuts cost and space debris. A Chennai startup is now getting government money to build a rocket that can be reused as a whole.

• TDB-DST signed an agreement with Agnikul Cosmos (Chennai) for ₹200 crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, via Optionally Convertible Debentures [PIB].
• Aim: take the reusable Agnibaan RLV from TRL-4 to TRL-8, moving beyond first-stage recovery to full-system reusability [PIB].

What will the project build?

• A reusable launch vehicle, Agnibaan RLV, aiming at full-system reusability rather than only first-stage recovery.
• A lightweight upper stage and precise orbital insertion.
• A semi-cryogenic liquid engine that can restart and throttle deeply for controlled descent.
• Agnikul earlier built the Agnilet, a single-piece 3D-printed engine.
• Reusable launch vehicles are a priority area of the RDI Fund.

What can Prelims ask on the Agnibaan RLV project?

• TRL = Technology Readiness Level.
• Agnilet: single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine.
• Funding via Optionally Convertible Debentures.
• TDB sits under DST.