New Delhi: Tamil Nadu-based startup Space Zone, in collaboration with the Martin Group on Saturday successfully launched India’s first reusable hybrid rocket 'RHUMI-1'. RHUMI-1, carrying 3 Cube satellites and 50 PICO satellites was launched to a suborbital trajectory from the TTDC Ground in Thiruvidandhai, ECR, Chennai using a mobile launcher, the company said.

 The satellites aim to collect data for research purposes on global warming and climate change. Equipped with a generic-fuel-based hybrid motor and electrically triggered parachute deployer, the rocket is 100 per cent pyrotechnic-free and 0 per cent TNT. “The demand for small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is increasing in India,” said Anand Megalingam, founder and CEO of Space Zone, in a company blog post, before the launch.

 This, he said, prompted “the company to focus on capturing the small satellite market while employing a Hybrid Propulsion system to ensure cost-effectiveness”. Mission RHUMI was led by Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, The Moon Man of India, Former Director ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), and Megalingam as its Mission Director. Other key features of RHUMI-1 include its angle, which can be fine-tuned from 0 to 120 degrees, allowing precise trajectory control. The company also built an innovative, cost-effective, and eco-friendly descent mechanism that will ensure the safe recovery of rocket components.

The RHUMI-1 rocket combines both liquid and solid fuel propellant systems which will not only improve efficiency and reduce operational costs but will also ensure environmental safety. The rocket’s applications go beyond space exploration to areas such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster management, the company said. Reusability enables space companies to refly the most expensive parts of the rocket. This can in turn lower the cost of space access, open outer space for business, and also help create new services like direct-to-device satellite connectivity.

 In February 2023, Space Zone India launched India’s first hybrid rocket from the Atomic Research Centre in Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu. The company has developed various rockets like RHUMI-1, RHUMI-2, and RHUMI-3, each tailored for altitudes ranging from 1 km to 500 km. In addition, the company also designed and developed its own ground-supporting equipment for rocket launches, creating portable launch systems that can easily be moved from one location to another without the need for large transportation. The company next aims to seek investors for its upcoming rocket launches.