India’s private space sector made a new history. India’s First Reusable Rocket Engine has been successfully designed and manufactured by Bengaluru-based space startup Astrobase. The company was launched in 2024 by tech entrepreneur Neeraj Khandelwal and former ISRO scientist Devkumar Thammisetty. The engine is now ready for full-scale hot-fire tests at the testing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. The achievement is seen as a major step forward in India’s reusable rocket technology.
India’s First Reusable Rocket Engine can help reduce future launch costs, repeat missions faster and give India a stronger position in the global space industry.
The engine is named EVEREST. Most notably, it uses Full-Flow Staged Combustion Cycle (FFSC) technology. It is among the most difficult and sophisticated rocket engine technology in the world. In this system, both fuel and oxidizer enter the main combustion chamber after passing through separate pre-burners. With this process, the engine achieves greater efficiency, better thrust and longer life. Very few engines in the world today are based on this technology, making this achievement all the more special for India.
According to Astrobase , the EVEREST engine will be used in a Reusable Medium-Lift Launch Vehicle. The company aims to make the first flight of the rocket by If the plan is successful, India’s private space companies will get a strong recognition in the global launch market. The biggest advantage of a reusable rocket is that the same engine can be used multiple times, greatly reducing launch costs. This model allows space missions to become more inexpensive, faster and sustainable.
Astrobaseβs EVEREST engine has often been compared to SpaceXβs famous Raptor engine, as both are based on Full-Flow Staged Combustion technology. However, EVEREST is an indigenous technology developed in India, giving a new identity to Indian engineering capabilities. Experts believe it takes years of research, high-level metallurgy, cryogenic technology and precision manufacturing to develop such an engine. This achievement clearly indicates that India is no longer a mere satellite launcher, but is becoming a leading nation developing next-generation rocket technology.
Although the company is still waiting for the full hot-fire test to be successful, the information shared so far has created quite a lot of excitement in the Indian space community. Developed under the leadership of Astrobase founder Neeraj Khandelwal and former ISRO scientist Devkumar Thammisetty, the project has become a strong example of the self-sufficiency of Indiaβs private space industry. If the upcoming tests are successful and the mission scheduled for 2028 is completed on time, India could be among the world’s select countries in the field of reusable rocket technology.
Proof
According to the official announcement by Astrobase, EVEREST is Indiaβs first fully integrated Full-Flow Staged Combustion rocket engine.
The company was founded in 2024 by Neeraj Khandelwal and former ISRO scientist Devkumar Thammisetty.
A full-scale hot-fire test of the engine is proposed at the Anantapur facility in Andhra Pradesh.
The company aims to conduct the first flight of the reusable medium-lift launch vehicle by 2028.
