Space startup Agnikul Cosmos launched its Agnibaan rocket for the first time on Thursday, powered by the only Indian rocket engine to use both gas and liquid fuel in the country's second flight of a privately built rocket. PAWAN GOENKA, chairman of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), spoke to Shine Jacob over the phone about the space sector in India. IN-SPACe is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). Edited excerpts:
What does Agnibaan’s launch mean for India's space sector and IN-SPACe, particularly private sector participation?
We are just the facilitators; Agnikul has done