Agnikul: Meet the IIT Madras Grads Reaching for the Stars With 3D Printed Rockets

Agnikul Cosmos, co-founded by graduates of IIT Madras — Srinath Ravichandran and Moin SPM, is re-imagining how satellites travel to space.

By Vidya Raja

March 7, 2022

While on one hand, satellites are shrinking really fast, rockets are not. Given that the rocket’s size continues to be large, satellites are almost forced to do a ride share within these big rockets. This is how Agnikul Cosmos came into being with the dream of becoming India’s first private player to launch satellites in space.

“Today, if you have to go to space, you are one person so you need to take a train. You have to wait for the train to fill up. What we are trying to do is build a cab,” says Srinath Ravichandran, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.

Agnikul, which was co-founded by Srinath and Moin SPM, is working on developing small rockets that can carry a payload of up to 100 kg into space. In 2017, the duo set out to combine rocket technology with 3D printing. By doing this they were trying to make travel to outer space a reality.

In 2021, an entire rocket engine was 3D-printed as one single block in 72 hours. A record in itself. Agnilet was successfully test-fired thereby becoming India’s first single-piece 3D printed engine.

Watch these IIT alumni’s inspiring work here:

(Edited by Yoshita Rao)

Found Value in This Story?Pay What You Can to Support Impactful Journalism

If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change.

Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution-

₹201
₹501
₹1001

By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let’s ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike.

Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?