BENGALURU (Reuters) – Agnikul Cosmos postponed its first rocket test flight moments before launch, marking the fourth cancellation in three months. This recurring delay raises concerns about the company’s progress and reliability.
India’s second privately built rocket, employing a gas-liquid fuel mix, faced three prior aborts due to technical issues. One cancellation occurred just 90 seconds before liftoff.
The launch, scheduled for 5:45 a.m. IST (0015 GMT) on Tuesday, was first delayed less than six minutes before lift-off “due to a technical glitch in the countdown activities”, and officials set a new lift-off time of 9:25 a.m.
Only five seconds before lift-off, however, the launch was put on “temporary hold to check igniter performance”, then was called off altogether.
The mission was expected to last two minutes and test the new “semi-cryogenic” engine and 3D-printed parts. If successful, it would have represented a technological step for India, whose 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 customizable, capable of carrying 300 kg to orbits 700 km high. In comparison, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy handles up to 63,500 kgs.
Founded in 2017, Agnikul – whose name is derived from the Hindi and Sanskrit word for fire – runs the country’s first private launchpad and mission control centre, while ISRO operates all other launchpads.
Skyroot Aerospace remains optimistic about the future of its India rocket launch. The company is focused on addressing the technical issues that have caused the delays.
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