Context:
Chennai-based start-up Agnikul Cosmos has successfully launched the world’s first rocket powered by a fully 3D-printed engine, named the Agnibaan Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD).
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Details
- Objective: The primary goal is to conduct a test flight to showcase the company’s internally developed technologies and collect critical flight data.
Significant Achievements:
- The launch took place from a private pad (Dhanush), marking several firsts for the Indian space ecosystem.
- It is the first homegrown rocket powered by a semi-cryogenic engine and features the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed engine.
- Propellant: The rocket uses liquid oxygen and kerosene as propellants.
- Support: The launch was supported by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).
3D Printing
- Definition: 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, involves using materials such as plastics and metals to transform computer-aided designs into real three-dimensional objects.
- Contrast to Subtractive Manufacturing: Unlike subtractive manufacturing, which involves cutting or hollowing out a piece of material, 3D printing adds material layer by layer to create the final product.
-Source: The Hindu
