New Delhi, April 9 -- Astrophel Aerospace, a Pune-based space technology startup developing propulsion systems and launch vehicles, is preparing for the test flight of its reusable suborbital rocket on August 15, 2026.

The startup said the vehicle, designed as a vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) prototype, will serve as a key step toward building a fully operational and commercially viable reusable launch system in India. The test will also act as a validation platform for its in-house cryogenic subsystems.

Suyash Bafna, Co-founder and CEO, said the upcoming mission could mark one of the first instances of a privately developed reusable rocket prototype that is entirely designed, built, and tested in India.

The space startup...