EVEREST: India's 1st Private 800 kN FFSC LOX-Methane Rocket Engine

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Key takeaways

Bengaluru-based Astrobase Space Technologies unveiled EVEREST, India's first privately built 800 kN FFSC LOX-Methane rocket engine.
India is now the fourth country after Russia, the US, and China to develop Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) technology.
The engine produces an 800 kN thrust with a specific impulse of 340 seconds and targets carrying 3 tonnes to a 500-km LEO.
Full-scale hot-fire testing is set for 2026 in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, with an orbital launch targeted for 2028.

Bengaluru-based Astrobase Space Technologies unveiled EVEREST, which is India's first privately built 800 kN Full-Flow Staged Combustion (FFSC) LOX-Methane rocket engine.
This achievement marks a major milestone for India's private space sector following the earlier launch of Vikram-1.

The engine delivers 800 kN thrust, features a specific impulse of about 340 seconds, and operates within a 50%-110% throttle range.
Engineers are designing this power plant specifically for reusable medium-lift launch vehicles.

In a Full-Flow Staged Combustion engine, both the fuel and oxidiser pass through separate pre-burners before entering the main combustion chamber.
The generated high-pressure gases drive the turbopumps before feeding into the main chamber, ensuring complete utilization of propellants and higher operating efficiency.
Liquid oxygen and methane burn cleanly, and when paired with an FFSC architecture built for multiple cycles, the propulsion system becomes ideal for reusable rockets.

Astrobase is developing this engine to build a reusable launch system that improves turnaround time, flight precision, and overall launch economics.
The proposed vehicle architecture aims to carry nearly 3 tonnes of payload to a 500-km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with return-to-launch-site recovery capabilities.

Engine development started in 2024, and key engine subsystems have already completed preliminary testing rounds.
Full-scale hot-fire testing at Astrobase's Anantapur facility in Andhra Pradesh is scheduled for 2026, followed by stage testing and vehicle integration.
The company plans to manufacture and test around 20 engines before attempting its first orbital flight targeted for 2028.

Astrobase receives financial and technical backing from IN-SPACe's Technology Adoption Fund.
This central scheme supports private domestic firms developing complex space hardware, such as advanced rocket propulsion systems.

India has become the fourth nation after Russia, the US, and China to develop indigenous FFSC rocket engine technology.
Astrobase stands as only the fourth commercial company globally to build a high-thrust FFSC propulsion system.

Operationalizing this engine will strengthen India's capabilities in reusable rockets, rapid launch schedules, and domestic propulsion development.
Successful integration will expand India's commercial access to space and secure a larger share of the global space economy.