New Delhi: Pune-based New Space startup Astrophel Aerospace has announced that it is targeting 15 August for the test flight of its ‘Hopper’ vertical takeoff
vertical landing (VTVL) prototype. The test flight will validate Astrophel’s in-house cryogenic and propulsion systems. The three metre long prototype weighs about 200 kg, and is currently being designed, manufactured and assembled at Astrophel’s facility in Pune. Astrophel has recently developed high-performance cryogenic control valves, which are part of Astrophel’s broader portfolio of propulsion sub-systems including turbopumps, vacuum-insulated cryogenic storage tanks, and high-speed precision linear actuators. The 25,000 RPM turbopump is currently under testing at ISRO.
Co-founder and CEO of Astrophel Aerospace, Suyash Bafna said, “We expect the upcoming test to mark one of the first instances of a privately developed reusable rocket prototype that’s been designed, manufactured and tested entirely from within India.” Cofounder and COO, Immanuel Louis added, “Our in-house design and manufacturing approach borrows inspiration from automotive best practices and we’ll be able to develop subsystems at approximately 40 per cent of the cost compared to global players.” Astrophel Aerospace was one of the few New Space startups in India to successfully conduct a cryogenic engine test, that took place on 15 August, 2023.
The Race to Small, Reusable rockets
By vertically integrating critical subsystems, Astrophel is demonstrating a tightly integrated hardware ecosystem that enables faster development cycles and improved control on the performance. Space tech startups in India rely heavily on imported subsystems and components, which is a concern identified by a recent parliamentary committee report as well. By validating critical hardware in-house, Astrophel is de-risking the path to orbit. A number of New Space startups across the country are developing either partially reusable or fully reusable rockets for small satellites. Hyderabad-based Abyom plans a test flight for its VTVL prototype in the year ahead. Chennai-based Agnikul Cosmos and Bengaluru-based EtherealX are also developing small reusable launchers.
