Funding · Government, Defense & Space
Astrobase secures seed funding for rocket engine development
By Startup Enthusiast ·
- Date
- Company
- Astrobase
- What it does
- Developing advanced rocket engines
- Kind
- Funding
- Amount
- $10 million
- Stage
- Seed
- Based in
- Bengaluru
- Founded
- 2024
What they do
Astrobase is a Bengaluru-based startup building advanced full-flow staged combustion rocket engines and heavy launch infrastructure
What happened
The enterprise secured approximately $10 million through a seed financing round spearheaded by BanyanCo to advance its proprietary propulsion technology
Why it matters
The startup is attempting an exceptionally complex engine cycle to achieve higher efficiency and lower launch costs
The details
- Astrobase has raised roughly $10 million in a seed funding round led by BanyanCo to advance its rocket engine technology.
- The startup is developing an 800-kilonewton rocket engine named EVEREST using a full-flow staged combustion (an advanced rocket engine design where all propellant passes through turbines before burning) cycle.
- The company has established a 21.5-acre test stand near Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh rated for 200 tonnes of thrust.
- A 46,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Bengaluru houses industrial metal 3D printers for end-to-end propulsion production.
- The company was selected by government body IN-SPACe under its Technology Adoption Fund to accelerate its indigenous engine development.
- Plans include conducting a full-scale engine hot fire test, followed by vertical takeoff and landing hop tests and an orbital launch attempt by 2029.
The bigger picture
- Developing full-flow staged combustion engines is exceptionally rare, with only SpaceX having flown one successfully using its Raptor engine.
- The startup aims to undercut traditional launch costs by utilizing cleaner-burning methane-oxygen propellant.
About the business
- Astrobase designs and manufactures heavy rocket engines and launch vehicle infrastructure entirely in-house.
- The company operates a vertically integrated production model encompassing assembly, subsystem testing, and engine integration under one roof in Bengaluru.
- Its core product is the EVEREST engine, targeting partial reusability and heavy-lift orbital access.
What happens next
- Conduct a full-scale engine hot fire test.
- Perform a vertical takeoff and landing hop test in 2027.
- Launch the first orbital mission by 2029.
The deal
- Type
- Seed
Investors
- BanyanCo (lead) — Venture capital firm leading the seed financing round.
Founders
- Neeraj Khandelwal, Co-founder
- Devakumar Thammisetty, Co-founder
More on Astrobase
- Astrobase receives ₹43 crore funding to develop 800 kN LOX-methane rocket engine25 September 2026 · New fund
- Astrobase in talks to raise $40-50M funding2 September 2026 · Funding · $40-50M
- Astrobase unveils India's first full-flow staged combustion rocket engine30 July 2026 · Launch
- Astrobase secures IN-SPACe grant for 80-ton rocket engine12 June 2026 · Funding · ₹25 crore
- Astrobase tests turbo pumps for high-thrust rocket engine13 January 2026 · Launch
- Astrobase raises ₹60 crore in funding led by BanyanCo2 July 2025 · Funding · ₹60 crore
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