Bangalore based Astrobase, a start-up founded in 2024 by industry veterans and former ISRO engineers, is pioneering next-generation rocket technology with a high-performance methane-fuelled engine.

The company focuses on a full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) cycle, using liquid oxygen (LOX) and methane propellants, which ranks among the most efficient propulsion systems globally. This ambitious design mirrors SpaceX's Raptor engine, routing both fuel and oxidiser through separate pre-burners to minimise thermal stress, enhance reliability, and enable reusability.​

Astrobase achieved a significant milestone with a successful sub-scale hot-fire test in September 2025, validating combustion stability, materials, and flow systems.

This test marked a breakthrough for India's private sector in advanced rocket propulsion, with full-scale engine trials scheduled from 2026.

The Bangalore-based firm has also operationalised a 46,000 sq. ft. assembly factory and India's first private high-thrust LOX-LNG rocket engine test facility, approved earlier in 2025.​

The engine, delivering around 800 kN of thrust, powers a reusable medium-lift launch vehicle with a four-metre diameter booster employing seven engines in a configuration reminiscent of Falcon-9.

This first stage is engineered for recovery and reuse, addressing India's launch bottlenecks for constellation deployments and sovereign missions. Astrobase's infrastructure development, including cold flow testing and stage static fires, positions it for rapid progress toward operational readiness.​

Targeting a maiden orbital launch by 2029, Astrobase embodies India's shift towards commercial spaceflight and self-reliance under initiatives like Make in India.

The team's expertise from ISRO and industry underscores the venture's potential to compete globally, fostering cleaner, high-efficiency launches. As private players like Astrobase advance, they complement national efforts, promising more frequent and cost-effective access to orbit.​

IDN (With Agency Inputs)