An aerospace startup founded by Jainul Abedin is working on reusable launch vehicles and liquid rocket engines, part of a growing group of private companies seeking a role in India’s space industry.
Abedin, originally from Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh, founded Abyom SpaceTech and Defence in 2020. The company began in Gorakhpur and later expanded operations to Hyderabad.
The profile describes a business focused on launch vehicles, propulsion and testing infrastructure. Reusable rocket technology aims to recover and use important rocket components again, potentially reducing the cost of future launches.
Building engines and testing capability
Abyom is developing liquid rocket engines that can be restarted and controlled during testing. The company has worked on a 2.5-kilonewton liquid engine and has built its own testing infrastructure, the report says.
In June 2026, the company reported completing a qualification test campaign for a reusable liquid rocket engine at its commercial testing facility near Hyderabad, according to details cited in the profile. Such tests are an important stage in development, but they do not by themselves establish that a rocket is ready for operational flights.
The company is also preparing to expand testing capacity, with plans for an engine testing centre in Andhra Pradesh. If developed, facilities like this can help startups conduct repeated tests without depending entirely on external infrastructure.
A changing space industry
India’s space sector opened further to private participation in 2020, with IN-SPACe created to promote and regulate commercial activity and connect private companies with national space capabilities.
That policy shift has encouraged entrepreneurs to work on launch vehicles, satellites, propulsion systems and other space technologies. Private firms can contribute new ideas and manufacturing capacity, while launch operations remain technically demanding and subject to regulatory requirements.
Abyom has received support from academic and innovation institutions and was associated with the Technology Business Incubator at BITS Pilani’s Hyderabad campus, the profile reports. It was also featured at the Department of Science and Technology’s ESTIC 2025 startup showcase.
The challenge of reusability
Recovering and reusing rocket components is difficult. A reusable vehicle must withstand the heat and forces of launch, return safely and be inspected or refurbished before flying again.
That makes testing a central part of the process. Startups need engineering expertise, reliable facilities and sustained funding to move from an engine test to an integrated vehicle and eventually to flight demonstrations.
The economics also depend on more than reuse alone. A company must show that its vehicle can carry useful payloads reliably, meet customer needs and keep turnaround costs under control.
What comes next
Abyom’s work reflects the broader ambition to make space access more affordable through domestic technology. The company’s progress will depend on how its propulsion and vehicle systems perform through future tests and development stages.
For now, the startup is building capability rather than announcing a routine launch service. Its story illustrates how India’s private space sector is taking shape, with young companies pursuing complex engineering goals alongside established public institutions.