Bengaluru: Astrobase rocket engine has marked a major milestone for India’s private space sector. Bengaluru-based startup Astrobase Space Technologies has unveiled EVEREST, India’s first 80-tonne-class Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) rocket engine. The engine is designed to power future reusable launch vehicles and could place India among a small group of nations developing one of the world’s most advanced rocket propulsion technologies.
What Is the EVEREST Rocket Engine
EVEREST is an 800-kilonewton (80-tonne-class) liquid rocket engine developed by Astrobase Space Technologies. The engine uses liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid methane (methalox) as propellants. This fuel combination is widely considered ideal for reusable rockets because it offers high performance while reducing maintenance requirements between launches.
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Why Is EVEREST Rocket Engine Important
The EVEREST engine uses a Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) cycle, one of the most advanced and complex rocket engine architectures ever developed. FFSC engines route both fuel and oxidizer through separate pre-burners before combustion, improving efficiency, reliability, and reusability. Only a handful of organizations globally have demonstrated this technology.
A Major Milestone for India’s Space Sector
Astrobase said the unveiling positions India among a select group of countries pursuing FFSC propulsion technology. If successful, India could become one of the few nations to test and operate an FFSC rocket engine, strengthening the country’s growing private space ecosystem.
EVEREST Rocket Engine: Development Progress So Far
The company has already completed several important tests. According to Astrobase, sub-scale hot-fire tests were completed in 2025, followed by high-speed turbopump trials in early 2026. Full-scale hot-fire testing of the EVEREST engine is expected later this year.
Backed by IN-SPACe
Astrobase recently received support from IN-SPACe’s Technology Adoption Fund (TAF). The company was selected to accelerate development of its indigenous 800 kN LOX-methane rocket engine, highlighting growing institutional support for India’s private space industry.
About Astrobase Space Technologies
Astrobase Space Technologies was founded in 2024 by former ISRO propulsion engineer Devakumar ThammiSetty and entrepreneur Neeraj Khandelwal. The company operates a large propulsion testing facility in Andhra Pradesh capable of supporting advanced rocket engine development and testing.
What Are Astrobase’s Future Plans
Astrobase aims to use a cluster of seven EVEREST engines in a partially reusable launch vehicle. The company is targeting orbital launches by 2029 and hopes to significantly reduce launch costs through reusable rocket technology.
Why This Matters for India
India’s private space industry has expanded rapidly in recent years with startups developing launch vehicles, satellite technologies, and propulsion systems. The EVEREST engine demonstrates that Indian private companies are increasingly capable of building advanced space technologies that were once limited to major government agencies and global aerospace giants.
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