Agnikul names former ISRO chairman Somanath S. as observer
Agnikul Cosmos, a Chennai-based space startup, just brought former ISRO chairman Somanath S. on board as an observer, right before its big Mission 02 launch.
This mission is aiming high: they're planning India's first recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster and will try turning the rocket's upper stage into a working platform in space.
Agnibaan uses reusable stage 3D-printed engine
Somanath's leadership in missions like Chandrayaan-3 and Gaganyaan means Agnikul gets some serious expertise for tackling tough engineering challenges.
Mission 02 will use its two-stage Agnibaan rocket with cool new tech, like a reusable first stage and a 3D-printed engine that can be built in just seven days.
It's a bold move for India's private space scene, putting it on track to compete globally with giants like SpaceX.