Singapore company Equatorial Space and Tamil Nadu’s Space Zone India on Monday signed an agreement to launch a hybrid rocket using a mobile launch platform.
The signing was witnessed by Indian space scientist Mylswamy Annadurai, the former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) director often referred to as “Moon Man of India”. He will serve as mentor for the Mission Rhumi 2024 project.
Large rockets need a fixed launch pad but the Rhumi-1 hybrid rocket, which will be launched at the Chennai East Coast Road area on Aug 24 next year, will introduce an economical and mobile launch.
“This is a great initiative in the space industry where private companies are also making strides,” said Mr Annadurai, who was part of ISRO’s Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan missions.
“Such initiatives will lay the foundation for the youth to participate and achieve in the space industry.”
Space Zone India founder and CEO Anand Megalingam, 29, said the two companies aim to demonstrate that they can launch a hybrid rocket at a low cost – just one-third – using a mobile platform.
Rhumi 1’s propellant will be manufactured by Equatorial Space in Singapore.
Established in 2017, the company has already manufactured smaller rockets, which were launched from Malaysia and Chennai .
“We are developing the Rhumi 1 rocket which will be much bigger. We are planning to test it in Australia soon,” said Mr Praveen Ganapathiperumal, 31, co-founder and chief operating officer of Equatorial Space.
