Hyderabad Start-Up Tests Reusable Rocket Engine For Future Launch Systems

Hyderabad: Reusable rocket technology, long seen as a high-cost and specialised field dominated by large space agencies, is slowly finding a place in India’s private space sector, with a Hyderabad-based start-up now moving a step closer to developing indigenous reusable launch systems.

Abyom SpaceTech & Defence, a start-up incubated at the technology business incubator of BITS Pilani, Hyderabad campus, has completed a qualification test campaign for a reusable liquid rocket engine developed entirely in-house.

The tests were conducted at the company’s commercial test facility as part of its ongoing reusable rocket and propulsion development programme. The start-up said the campaign is linked to its flight ready cryogenic engine and HOPE vertical take-off and vertical landing reusable rocket project.

According to the company, the engine systems, instrumentation, control architecture and data acquisition systems used during testing were all built internally by its engineering team. The facility is also being developed as a modular propulsion testing platform that can support other startups and institutions working in the private space sector.

“The qualification campaign represents an important step towards building an indigenous reusable propulsion ecosystem in India. Such propulsion systems can help reduce launch costs, which is a model increasingly being explored globally for commercial and strategic missions. We are advancing technologies that can contribute to cost-effective reusable spaceflight and future strategic applications,” said the startup founder and chief executive officer, Jainul Abedin.”

Abyom has previously collaborated with institutions including BITS Pilani, IIT Madras and IIT Bombay. The company has also received support from organisations including the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, ISRO and IIT Madras Pravartak.

Abedin said its next focus areas include reusable rocket prototype demonstrations, further cryogenic engine development and expansion of commercial propulsion testing services.