India’s Astrophel builds cryo pump with sights on upgrade for space flight

India-based space technology companyAstrophel Aerospace is developing a new cryogenic pump for its Astra C1 rocket– a launch vehicle designed to take small-scale satellites into space.

Once developed, the technology will be madeflight-ready by fitting it with a turbine, turning the cryogenic pump – whichmoves cryogenic liquid using an external power source – into a turbopump.

In a turbopump, the turbine spins atthousands of revolutions per minute, driving huge amounts of liquid hydrogen oroxygen into the combustion chamber.

Currently, the company powers its first-and second-stage rocket engines using cryogenic fuel delivered by a cryo-pumpsystem that rotates at 25,000 revolutions per minute. Theone-litre-bottle-sized pump can produce 100 to 150 horsepower – roughly the sameas an average family car engine.

Once upgraded to a turbopump, thetechnology is expected to provide 500 to 600 horsepower, the equivalent ofabout four cars, enabling larger launch vehicles.

Before the technology can becommercialised, the company plans for it to be verified by the Indian SpaceResearch Organisation (ISRO).

“ISRO’s certification will validate notjust our pump but India’s ability to innovate world-class space hardware withglobal export opportunities,” said Suyash Bafna, co-founder of Astrophel.

According to a report by India’ FICCIbusiness group and the global consultancy EY, India’s space economy was valuedat around $8.4bn in 2022 and is projected to grow to about $44bn by 2033,driven by private sector participation and government reforms.

ISRO successfully tested a hydrogen fuelcell in orbit in 2024, while Hindustan Aeronautics has delivered largecryogenic propellant tanks for the national space programme.