Agnikul's Game-Changer: India's First 3D Rocket Factory

Agnikul Cosmos, a Chennai-based spacetech startup, has commissioned a state-of-the-art additive manufacturing facility dedicated to aerospace and rocket systems, marking a major leap in India’s private space manufacturing capabilities.

The integrated facility consolidates design, simulation, 3D printing, post-processing, and finishing under one roof, enabling the rapid production of rocket components up to one metre tall. This setup is expected to halve manufacturing costs and significantly reduce development timelines, delivering fully finished, flight-ready hardware within days.

A key innovation is an indigenously developed de-powdering machine, which improves surface quality and minimizes dependence on imported equipment. Agnikul, which holds a U.S. patent for its single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine, can now manufacture engines with up to seven times more thrust than its earlier designs.

In 2024, the company made history by launching India’s first private rocket, Agnibaan SOrTeD, powered by its proprietary 3D-printed engine. Backed by $45 million in funding from domestic and global investors, Agnikul is pioneering affordable and precision-driven rocket manufacturing, furthering India’s ambitions in commercial space transportation and indigenous aerospace innovation.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.