Devakumar

Co-Founder @astrobase_space | Ex-ISRO (12+ yrs: Cryogenics on GSLV, LVM3 & Chandrayaan) | IIT Bombay + EPFL Masters | Building FFSC LOX-Methane engines

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

Nothing like it in India, with best shot at pacing India’s space close to SpaceX with raptor like FFSC engines tested and mastered before they make flight! Excited to make rocket engines work for real. @astrobase_space

[Astrobase Space @astrobase_space]

This is where propulsion stops being a prototype and becomes an operational capability. 21.5 acres. Built in-house. Coming online.

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

Many make headlines. How many are really building next gen infrastructure, be it mobility, energy, compute or comms. Not difficult to look for people who keep doing it over and over, boots on the ground!

As a young startup, it was shocking to see that India doesn’t have basic manufacturing, testing infrastructure for any space venture to thrive in 2024. That’s a major gap that India can’t afford to ignore.

We built a space venture from ground up. In less than 2 years, the India’s largest metal additive printer operational, the 80ton high thrust cryogenic test stand in India near operational and State of art FFSC lox methane engine built and ready for hot fire. @astrobase_space, will continue to build essential commercial space infrastructure that India needs to survive the space race!

@rah_66_comanche Thanks for noticing that trillions are built on massive infrastructure to transform the human civilisation as a whole.

[RAH-66 COMANCHE @rah_66_comanche]

I am filled with optimism at the fact that the world's first trillionaire was made not by hedge funds or market manipulation, but by building the infrastructure to take America to the stars.

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

Not many understand how space industry works! @astrobase_space is here to redefine India’s space exploration paradigm! It’s just the beginning of a decade, a century!

Infrastructure that is being built by Astrobase will live long in supporting every space mission for India.
@RahulRao_1992 thanks for catching the jargon and making it readable.

[First Principles Investing @RahulRao_1992]

IN-SPACe's Technology Adoption Fund just cleared funding for three startups:

Astrobase Space Technologies, SatSure Analytics India and TM2SPACE Technologies.

Most people saw three startups. We see a clue.

Buried in the announcement was a project to develop a methane-LOX rocket engine.

At first glance, that sounds like technical jargon. But it caught our attention for one reason.

SpaceX spent years building an engine around the same fuel combination. So did Blue Origin. So is China !

And now India is funding it.

That raises an interesting question:

What do they know that most people don't?

Historically, India relied on the Vikas engine family and cryogenic engines that helped build one of the world's most cost-effective launch programs.

They have served us remarkably well.

But...if the ambition is frequent launches, rapid turnaround times, and eventually reusable rockets, the equation starts to change.

That's where methane enters the story.

Not because it is a better fuel in every situation. But because it fundamentally changes the economics of reusability.

Cleaner combustion means less soot inside the engine. Less refurbishment between flights. Faster turnaround. And therefore - Lower costs.

In essence, a seemingly small change in fuel could lead to a massive change in capability.

What's even more interesting is the architecture being pursued: Full-Flow Staged Combustion.

This is not an incremental improvement. It's one of the most advanced rocket engine cycles ever attempted.

And very few countries have successfully mastered it.

Yet an Indian startup is now working on exactly that. The funding amount doesn't interests us.

The signal does !

Because when governments start backing specific technologies, they often reveal something about where they believe the future is headed.

And sure funding doesn't equate to outcomes. These are usually long lead time projects and fundamentally unpredictable.

But it signals that the focus is on launches.

This is BIG but yet bigger opportunity may be hiding much deeper in the ecosystem.

If India's space ambitions accelerate over the next decade, who benefits before the rockets launches?

The launch providers? Or the precision engineering companies, advanced materials players, electronics suppliers and manufacturers?

That's the puzzle we're exploring in our upcoming webinar on India's space sector.

🔗 Registration link: https://t.co/SPofPH5plP

Date: 28th June 2026
Time: 11:00 am

GET an EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT : EB500

AND as usual, 100% Money Back Guarantee if it sucks.

[SIA - India @SIA_Ind]

#SIAIndiaMembers | #INSPACe
Congratulations to Astrobase Space Technologies, SatSure, and TakeMe2Space on being selected under the first round of IN-SPACe's Technology Adoption Fund (#TAF).

🚀 Astrobase Space Technologies – Development of an 800 kN-class reusable LOX-LNG rocket engine for future commercial launch vehicles.

🌍 SatSure Analytics India – Development of "Dhaarini", an AI-powered Earth Observation platform for satellite imagery analytics across agriculture, infrastructure, and disaster management.

🛰️ TM2SPACE Technologies – Development of indigenous AI-enabled star trackers to enhance satellite positioning and navigation capabilities.

This recognition highlights the innovation and technological excellence emerging from India's private space ecosystem. We are proud to see our member companies contributing to the development of critical space technologies and strengthening India's space capabilities.

#SIAIndia #TechnologyAdoptionFund #IndianSpaceSector #SpaceInnovation #SpaceTechnology #NewSpace #CommercialSpace #DeepTech #INSPACe

@sat_sure | @tm2space | @rokrsa | @pbasu_space | @astrobase_space | @neerajKh_ | @devakumar_t | @AnilPra28432993 | @RGambhir | @heysudipta

[Neeraj Khandelwal @neerajKh_]

Launching rockets is not about making money. It’s about owning a choke point the entire Orbital infrastructure depends upon. Thats far more powerful than EBIDTA margins. Astrobase’s FFSC engine will change India’s space trajectory.

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

India’s homegrown 80ton Lox-methane FFSC rocket engine development gets 2.6mil USD grant from space regulator!!

Thanks @INSPACeIND for the recognition and support. @astrobase_space

[Astrobase Space @astrobase_space]

Thank you @INSPACeIND for selecting us under the Technology Adoption Fund to support the development of our indigenous 800 kN LOX–methane rocket engine. Currently undergoing hot-fire testing, this marks a key milestone in advancing India's sovereign space capabilities.

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

Having operating ground infrastructure matters!

“Big rockets produce big explosions. And ground infrastructure is a challenging and underrated component of a rocket launch.” @astrobase_space

[Eric Berger @SciGuySpace]

The implications of New Glenn’s failure are probably worse than you think. I dig in here to some of the most serious concerns.

https://t.co/IkUTNjDvjI

[Eric Berger @SciGuySpace]

The implications of New Glenn’s failure are probably worse than you think. I dig in here to some of the most serious concerns.

https://t.co/IkUTNjDvjI

[Ace of Razgriz @raz_liu]

New private engine provider came out of nowhere. Mega engine just completed 200s hot fire test for its 87t (vac) RP-1 / Lox close cycle engine / 炽 / Chi. The 200t level engine 焱/Yan will come out within 2026.

[SpaceNews @SpaceNews_Inc]

Chinese startup Mega Engine advances reusable staged-combustion rocket engine https://t.co/SCRYjXau50

[Astrobase Space @astrobase_space]

Astrobase Space Technologies is building the Indo-European space industrial corridor — positioning India as a reliable, long-term partner for nations whose national security depends on resilient access to space.
Our agreement with Impulso Space at @SpaceVeneto 2026, the first concluded during the Indian delegation's visit, marks an early step in that direction. Our thanks to @IndiainItaly and @INSPACeIND for the continued support.

[Giuseppe De Chiara @archipeppe]

For those who like to know what is inside.
@NASAArtemis @SpaceX @blueorigin @FelixSchlang

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

@jcrajan00 Exactly the message and vision that resonates with serving national space needs at @astrobase_space

[Neeraj Khandelwal @neerajKh_]

This is what the site looked like 11 months ago. From barren land to the one fires engines.

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

@SuryadeepMohan @astrobase_space Multiple restarts yes! It’s built for powering recovery and reuse of flown stages similar to raptor. ISP is close to raptor though T/W is lower due to lower thrust rating, yet we are still close to Raptor 2 level. Improvements expected with next iteration.

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

Nothing like it in India, with best shot at pacing India’s space close to SpaceX with raptor like FFSC engines tested and mastered before they make flight! Excited to make rocket engines work for real. @astrobase_space

[Astrobase Space @astrobase_space]

This is where propulsion stops being a prototype and becomes an operational capability. 21.5 acres. Built in-house. Coming online.

[Neeraj Khandelwal @neerajKh_]

@devakumar_t is the person who brings india forward in the Space race

[Andhra & Amaravati Updates @AP_CRDANews]

🇮🇳India's First Private High Thrust Rocket Engine Test Site near #Tirupati.

@astrobase_space is developing this for LOX-LNG engine, with space city coming near Sri Kalahasthi & required infra getting ready. Both #AndhraPradesh & #India future is bright

#InvestInAP

[Devakumar @devakumar_t]

Longer yes. The catch is T/W optimum is around 0.6 (180/300) for 2nd stage. With one engine out, this falls way below to 0.3, leading to significant gravity and steering losses -> impossible to reach intended orbit even if fired longer

Another interesting catch could be, the engine failure resulted in one engine operating at off-nominal Mixture ratio leading to one propellant depleting early, forcing other working engine to cut-off early

GNC takes care of off nominal performance, generally is more capable of producing viable solution for all ranges of thrusts, nominal burn duration is unlikely due to GNC errors

[Blue Origin @blueorigin]

Let's relive liftoff 🚀

[Neeraj Khandelwal @neerajKh_]

Sovereign space capability is not just a rocket. It is the backbone behind it — engines, test stands, cryogenic infra, manufacturing, and the ability to fire, learn, fix and repeat.

That is what India has to build.