India, July 16 -- Spacetech startup Agnikul Cosmos has onboarded former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr Somanath S as an observer to its board.

The appointment comes in the run up to Agnikul undertaking its second space mission, which will involve the recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster and the extension of a rocket's upper stage into an on-orbit platform.

"Dr Somanath's career is, in many ways, the story of Indian rocketry. Having him as an observer on our board as we attempt Mission 02 means we have, at the table, someone who has personally navigated the complexity of booster design, stage recovery, and on-orbit operations at the highest level," Agnikul Cosmos cofounder and CEO Srinath Ravichandran said....