Astrobase

ApplicationBengaluru, IndiaFounded 2024· One of 462 Application companies tracked by AMPulse

Bengaluru space-tech startup building India's first privately developed full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) LOX-methane engines (EVEREST, 800 kN) and medium-lift reusable orbital launch vehicles, with vertical integration via large-format metal AM.

Featured in: India's Sovereignty AM · Snapshot Apr 22, 2026

CEO / Founder: Neeraj Khandelwal
Team Size: 11-50
Stage: Active
Total Funding: $10.0M
Latest Round: Seed
Key Investors: Banyan Capital Advisors

Technology & Products

Key Products

EVEREST 800 kN Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) LOX-Methane Rocket Engine (80-tonne-class; 50–110% throttle; multi-cycle reusability), Medium-lift two-stage reusable launch vehicle (target ~8 t to LEO; LOX-methane; RTLS recovery), Additively manufactured aerospace/engine components (in-house large-format metal AM), Proprietary avionics and control systems, In-house high-thrust cryogenic engine test infrastructure (Anantapur, AP) and Bengaluru assembly factory

Technological Advantage

Vertical integration through the commissioning of India's largest industrial metal 3D printer (EP-M650) allows for the production of complex engine parts in a single piece, reducing weight, failure points, and manufacturing lead times by up to 80%.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Drastically reducing the cost of orbital access through vehicle reusability and high-efficiency engine cycles, while accelerating production timelines via large-scale additive manufacturing.

How They Differentiate

Focus on Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) engine architecture—the same high-efficiency cycle used by SpaceX's Raptor—combined with industrial-scale metal 3D printing (EP-M650) to produce 80-tonne thrust engines.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Commercial satellite operators, government space agencies (ISRO, global agencies), defense organizations, and mega-constellation providers.

Industry Verticals

Aerospace & Defense, Satellite Communications, Space Exploration, Advanced Manufacturing

Competitors

SpaceX, Stoke, Relativity Space

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Headcount reported in the mid-30s range on Inc42/Tracxn/LinkedIn (~34–36) with LinkedIn company size 11–50; ₹16.5 Lakh+ revenue in FY25 (R&D phase). 21.5-acre cryogenic test site in Andhra Pradesh and 46,000 sq ft Bengaluru assembly facility operational.

Major Milestones

Secured $10M Seed funding led by Banyan Capital Advisors in July 2025, Successful sub-scale hot-fire test of the FFSC engine in September 2025, Engine test facility operational (India's only private high-thrust cryogenic rocket test facility; Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh), Commissioned India's largest industrial metal 3D printer (EP-M650) for engine production in March 2026, Signed strategic partnership framework with Impulso Space (Europe) at Space Meetings Veneto in May 2026, Selected under IN-SPACe Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) for indigenous 800 kN LOX-methane FFSC engine development in June 2026, Unveiled EVEREST, India's first privately built full-scale FFSC rocket engine (80-tonne-class, 800 kN LOX-methane) on 7 Aug 2026; all major engine components manufactured by June 2026; full-scale hot-fire campaign in progress

Notable Customers

Commercial satellite operators (Target), Government space agencies (Target)

https://www.astrobase.in

Why this company matters

AMPulse analysis, not a company disclosure

Astrobase is positioning itself as India's first private developer of reusable medium-lift orbital launch vehicles, targeting the gap between small-satellite launchers and heavy-lift government rockets. The company's core differentiator is its focus on full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) engine architecture, the same high-efficiency cycle used by SpaceX's Raptor, which offers higher specific impulse and chamber pressure compared to gas-generator or staged-combustion cycles used by most Indian launch vehicles.

The company relies heavily on large-format metal powder bed fusion (LPBF) to produce complex engine components as single pieces. Astrobase commissioned India's largest industrial metal 3D printer, the EP-M650 from Eplus3D, to manufacture 80-tonne thrust engine parts, reducing weight, failure points, and lead times by up to 80%. This vertical integration in additive manufacturing enables rapid iteration and production of FFSC engines that would otherwise require hundreds of traditionally machined parts.

Astrobase targets commercial satellite operators, government space agencies including ISRO, defense organizations, and mega-constellation providers. The company raised $10 million in seed funding led by Banyan Capital Advisors in July 2025 and achieved a sub-scale hot-fire test of its FFSC engine in September 2025. It received regulatory approval for India's first private high-thrust LOX-LNG test facility in December 2025 and commissioned its large-format metal printer in March 2026. The team has scaled to 44 employees within two years of founding.

The company competes with SpaceX, Stoke Space, and Relativity Space in the reusable launch segment, but faces the challenge of developing a technically demanding engine cycle from scratch with limited funding compared to well-capitalized US rivals. Astrobase's ability to leverage India's lower manufacturing costs and regulatory support from IN-SPACe may provide a cost advantage, but the company must demonstrate orbital flight reliability before it can capture commercial launch contracts.