Pune-based Thrustworks designs liquid rocket engines and provides propulsion techniques for area and defence launch automobiles.
Thrustworks Dynetics is a personal restricted propulsion know-how firm based in 2023 and headquartered in Pune, India. It’s led by a founding group of three: Manan Joshi, who oversees enterprise operations; Kalyani Shinde, the CTO driving technological innovation; and Vinith Shenoy, who manages design, manufacturing, and operations.
The startup focuses on creating and manufacturing liquid rocket engines for area and defence functions. Very similar to how Rolls-Royce provides plane engines to Airbus, Thrustworks builds propulsion techniques delivered to organisations creating rockets and launch automobiles.
Manan explains that the title ‘Thrustworks Dynetics’ is rooted in its core goal. “Identical to Iron Works or Coal Works—industries named after their core perform—we selected Thrustworks, as we work with thrust. ‘Dynetics’ is a mix of ‘dynamics’ and ‘kinetics,’ referring to techniques in movement and influenced by forces. Collectively, the title captures precisely what we do—working with thrust and the science of dynamic, kinetic techniques.”
Thrustworks develops each rocket engine {hardware} and proprietary software program for in-house engine design. This software program is just not offered commercially. By counting on internally developed instruments, the group avoids dependency on overseas software program and bypasses restrictive worldwide laws, permitting for impartial creation of high-performance techniques.
Their engines are supposed for automobiles that attain area, akin to orbital and suborbital launch automobiles, or function at hypersonic speeds. The goal buyer base contains authorities organisations like ISRO and defence departments, in addition to personal area startups akin to Agnikul and Skyroot.
“We simplify and speed up the launch automobile improvement course of by providing engines together with the important testing, manufacturing, and design infrastructure. One among our key differentiators is our capability to chop the standard engine improvement timeline from 2-3 years to only six months. This helps derisk consumer tasks by decreasing prices, saving time, and streamlining the availability chain—all beneath one roof,” emphasises Manan.
The startup has developed each additive (3D printing) and traditional manufacturing capabilities via a community of distributors. Testing, inspection, and post-processing are carried out in-house.
Manan notes that they’ve created India’s first cell rocket engine check facility to decrease the price and time related to engine validation.
“Though a lot of our manufacturing is vendor-driven, we retain important management over design and inspection at our facility. We regionally supply your entire provide chain, together with elements, to minimise dependence on overseas imports. At present, we function with a lean group of six aerospace engineers, all targeted on early-stage R&D and prototype testing,” explains Manan.
Thrustworks is in its pre-revenue stage and has not but accomplished its first deliveries. Engine pricing is predicted to vary from ₹10 million to ₹20 million, with customised cost cycles based mostly on buyer improvement timelines. The group’s subsequent main initiative is creating India’s first built-in rocket facility, supposed to redefine how liquid rocket engines are conceptualised and manufactured domestically.
Discussing Thrustworks’ flagship engine, Anya, Manan explains that it’s designed for top thermal resilience and might function in hypersonic situations, despite the fact that thermal stress in such missions is usually decrease than in standard liquid rocket functions.
The engine subsystems have handed speedy start-stop testing, making them appropriate for tactical defence eventualities. Though detailed efficiency metrics stay confidential, Anya contains thrust vectoring capabilities and meets particular environmental qualification requirements. With a thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 110, it’s each light-weight and compact, making it superb for cell deployment. Its gas effectivity and impulse density are optimised for short-duration, high-speed missions, although actual figures haven’t been disclosed.
Regardless of this formidable progress, the corporate faces sector-wide challenges, notably in testing infrastructure and the provision of expert expertise. Simplified authorities clearances and supportive state-level insurance policies might considerably profit personal area startups like Thrustworks.
