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Astrobase receives ₹43 crore funding to develop 800 kN LOX-methane rocket engine

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Astrobase logo
Date
Company
Astrobase
What it does
rocket propulsion development
Kind
New fund
Based in
Bengaluru
Founded
2024
Sector
Professional & Local Services

What they do

Astrobase is developing an 800 kN LOX-methane rocket engine as part of its propulsion system for medium-lift launch vehicles

What happened

The startup received ₹43 crore in funding from IN-SPACe's Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) to accelerate development of the engine

Why it matters

Astrobase unveiled its first full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) engine called Everest in August 2026, making India the fourth country to build such an engine

The details

  • Astrobase Technologies, a Bengaluru-based spacetech startup, received ₹43 crore in funding from IN-SPACe's Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) to develop an 800 kN LOX-methane rocket engine.
  • The startup unveiled its first full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) engine called Everest in August 2026, making India the fourth country to build such an engine.
  • Astrobase is working on developing a reusable launch vehicle, with the propulsion system as its immediate focus.
  • The Everest engine is an 80-tonne-class, 800 kN engine designed and manufactured in Bengaluru.
  • The company has built India's first methane-based engine test facility at its Ananthapur site, which has received PESO approval.

The bigger picture

  • Astrobase's development of the FFSC engine marks a significant milestone in India's space technology capabilities.
  • The startup is positioning itself as a key player in India's growing private space sector, which has gained momentum since the establishment of IN-SPACe in 2020.
  • The use of methane as rocket fuel is seen as a strategic move for developing reusable propulsion technology, with potential for over 50 uses per engine.

About the business

  • Astrobase is focused on building the propulsion systems for medium-lift launch vehicles, with the Everest engine as a core component.
  • The company has two major facilities: a 22.5-acre site in Ananthapur for cryogenic engine testing and a 44,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Bengaluru for end-to-end rocket engine production.
  • Astrobase aims to develop India's capacity to send 1,000 tons of payload into space annually by 2035.
  • The startup is targeting its first orbital flight by the end of 2028 and plans to scale its team from 70 to around 300 employees by then.
  • Astrobase is hiring across aerospace, civil, mechanical, computer, and metallurgy engineering, along with scientists and technicians.

What happens next

  • Astrobase plans to conduct full-scale engine hot-fire testing as part of its development process.
  • The company is targeting its first orbital flight by the end of 2028.
  • Astrobase expects to scale its team from 70 to around 300 employees by the time of its first launch.

The deal

Type
funding

Investors

  • IN-SPACe (funder) — Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, a single-window regulator-facilitator for private space activities in India.

Founders

  • Neeraj Khandelwal, co-founder and CEO
  • Devakumar Thammisetty, co-founder and CTO

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