Department of Space recently entered into a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with Agnikul Cosmos Pvt. Ltd, a Chennai-based start-up located in the National Centre for combustion R&D, IIT Madras, which builds small private satellite launch vehicle.
Under the NDA, the company will be enabled for accessing the facilities and technical expertise available in Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) centres to proceed with their launch vehicle development program.
The agreement is the first one of its kind, and the Department has signed after the establishment of IN-SPACe, the authorization and regulatory body under DOS for enabling private players to undertake space activities in India.
The NDA was signed in the presence of K Sivan, Secretary, DOS/ Chairman, ISRO, and Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras. R Umamaheswaran, Scientific Secretary, ISRO, was the signatory on behalf of Department of Space for the NDA with Agnikul Cosmos Pvt Ltd. Srinath Ravichandran, CEO, Aginukul signed the NDA on behalf of the company.