BENGALURU: Bellatrix Aerospace, a Bengaluru-based space tech start-up, announced on Thursday that it had achieved another milestone with the successful firing of its green mono-propellant propulsion package for the second time in space.
This achievement was part of the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C60 PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM)-4 mission.
According to a release, “This represents the company's third consecutive successful propulsion firing in orbit, further solidifying its position at the forefront of sustainable and high-performance space technology.”
The firm was one of the 10 private companies that partnered with ISRO in the launch of the 24 payloads carried on the mission.
The propulsion package demonstrated, named Rudra 1N, is a green mono-propellant system featuring a fully integrated package. It includes components such as tanks, valves, high-performance propellant, and a catalyst, all designed and developed in-house, said the Bellatrix team.
In January 2024, Bellatrix had qualified for both green and electric propulsion systems on the same mission. “The performance of Rudra this time has set a new benchmark,” said Saagar Malaichamy, Head of Green Propulsion at Bellatrix Aerospace.
Thanking ISRO, IN-SPACe, and NSIL for their support on this mission, he added: “Unlike the traditional approach of sourcing components from various global suppliers, building all the sub-systems in-house for a propulsion system is an exceptionally difficult process. With more firings planned for this mission in the coming days, Bellatrix Aerospace aims to provide cutting-edge, sustainable propulsion solutions that enable more efficient and responsible access to space.”