Astrobase to Invest Rs 800 Crore in Andhra Rocket Test Site
Astrobase signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board to grow its Thimmasamudram test site to about 360 acres.
Key Takeaways
- Astrobase will invest Rs 800 crore in its Andhra Pradesh rocket test site.
- The Thimmasamudram site will add 339 acres and grow to about 360 acres from about 22 acres.
- The MoU was signed with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board at the CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam.
- The expanded site will support static hot-fire tests and stage-level hop tests.
- Astrobase earlier announced a Rs 500 crore engine plant in Karnataka.
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Astrobase Space Technologies, a Bengaluru-based space startup, will invest Rs 800 crore in Andhra Pradesh to expand its rocket engine testing facility at Thimmasamudram in Sri Sathya Sai district. The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at the 31st CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam.
Under the plan, Astrobase will add 339 acres to the site. That takes the facility to about 360 acres, up from about 22 acres today. The company said the expanded site will support launch vehicle stage development, static hot-fire tests, stage-level hop tests and reusability validation.
Astrobase's Andhra Pradesh expansion at a glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Company | Astrobase Space Technologies |
| Based in | Bengaluru |
| Investment | Rs 800 crore |
| Location | Thimmasamudram, Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh |
| Land added | 339 acres |
| Site size | About 22 acres now, about 360 acres after the expansion |
| Agreement | MoU with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board |
| Where it was signed | 31st CII Partnership Summit, Visakhapatnam |
| Date | November 12, 2026 |
How Astrobase is building a reusable rocket from Bengaluru
Astrobase was founded in 2024 by Neeraj Khandelwal and Devakumar Thammisetty. Khandelwal earlier co-founded the crypto exchange CoinDCX. Thammisetty spent more than a decade at ISRO working on cryogenic engines.
The startup is building a medium-lift launch vehicle and the engine that will power it. In August 2026, it unveiled Everest, an 800 kN class engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane and uses a full-flow staged combustion design. The engine is designed and built in Bengaluru.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Astrobase is founded by Neeraj Khandelwal and Devakumar Thammisetty |
| August 2026 | Astrobase unveils its Everest engine |
| November 2026 | Astrobase announces a Rs 500 crore engine manufacturing plant in Karnataka |
| November 12, 2026 | Astrobase signs an MoU to invest Rs 800 crore in its Andhra Pradesh test site |
Astrobase's Rs 500 crore engine plant in Karnataka
The Andhra Pradesh deal comes shortly after Astrobase announced a Rs 500 crore investment in Karnataka for an engine manufacturing plant in Bengaluru Rural district. Karnataka Industries Minister MB Patil said the plant will be able to make up to 40 rocket engines a year.
Where Astrobase stands after the Andhra Pradesh MoU
In November 2026, Astrobase announced Rs 800 crore for its Andhra Pradesh test site and Rs 500 crore for its Karnataka engine plant. The Thimmasamudram facility will grow to about 360 acres from about 22 acres. The bigger site will support static hot-fire tests, stage-level hop tests and reusability validation.
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