HYDERABAD: City-based Abyom SpaceTech & Defence has taken a major step towards building reusable rockets by successfully testing its BSE-II liquid rocket engine.
The engine, developed entirely in-house at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus, is a small but powerful 2.5 kN engine. It builds on an earlier version, BSE-I, which introduced a new fuel injection method in India. Together, both engines have undergone over 250 hot fire tests to check performance and reliability.
In the latest test, the engine ran for six seconds under controlled conditions, reaching very high temperatures of over 2,200°C. It maintained stable performance throughout, and the exhaust plume behaved as expected, showing that the design is working properly.
A key achievement is that the entire system — including the engine, test setup and control systems — was designed and built by the company itself. The tests also proved important features needed for reusable rockets, such as controlled thrust, reliable ignition and smooth system integration.
Going forward, the company plans to build a more powerful cryogenic engine, develop a rocket that can take off and land vertically, and expand its testing facilities. It also aims to strengthen its tech portfolio.
Abyom SpaceTech has received recognition in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 and India 2026. It has also worked with IIT Bombay and carried out over 150 engine tests.