Space tech startup Agnikul gets patent for single-piece 3D printed rocket engine

Chennai-based space tech startup Agnikul said it has been awarded an Indian patent for the design and manufacturing of its single-piece rocket engine Agnilet.

Agnilet is a single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine designed and manufactured in India after being test-fired in early 2021.

The company said Agnilet has just one hardware, with no assembled parts. Agnikul showcased the single-piece rocket at the International Aeronautical Congress last year.


Commenting on the patent, chief executive officer Srinath Ravichandran said the journey has not been an "éasy ride," with the patent proving to be a testament to Indian engineering prowess.

"Rocket engines usually have 1000s of parts in them - starting from injectors that inject fuel into the engine, to the cooling channels that cool the engine, to the igniter that is necessary to ignite the propellants," he said.

Agnikul had pipped crypto exchange FalconX to win the Top Innovator category at the Economic Times Startup Awards 202o for its innovation and potential to further push India's self-reliance in space.

Agnikul was the first IIT-M incubated startup to sign a deal with ISRO to utilise the space organisation's facilities as a test bed. Agnikul has raised over $15 million from Mayfield India, pi Ventures, Speciale Invest, and prominent angel investors, including Anand Mahindra and Naval Ravikant.

Recently, Agnikul announced its rocket facility at the IIT Madras Research Park dedicated to 3D printing rocket engines in mass production.