Indian space-tech startup Agnikul Cosmos plans to invest ₹510 crore to establish a dedicated facility for manufacturing orbital data centre units in Andhra Pradesh. The facility will come up in Tirupati district and focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) computing hardware with the upper stages of the company’s launch vehicles.
The company signed an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government at the CII Partnership Summit 2026 on November 13. The proposed facility marks Agnikul’s entry into the growing global effort to develop data centres in space.
Turning Rocket Stages into Data Centre Platforms
Agnikul plans to use its patented technology, which allows the extendable upper stage of its launch vehicle to function as a satellite bus capable of hosting data centre hardware.
The new facility will provide a platform for semiconductor companies to build graphics processing unit (GPU) stacks that can be integrated directly with the upper stage of Agnikul’s launch vehicle.
“We want to have a facility to build orbital data centre units so that the upper stage of our rocket can extend to be its own data centre platform,” said Srinath Ravichandran, co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos.
He described the proposed centre as the first of its kind in Asia and among the first globally. The company expects semiconductor manufacturers to develop space-grade GPU stacks, which can then be integrated at the Andhra Pradesh facility.
NeevCloud Signs Up as First Customer
Bengaluru-based NeevCloud has already signed up as Agnikul’s first customer for the initiative. Under the agreement, Agnikul will launch an orbital AI data centre module developed through NeevCloud’s AI SuperCloud platform.
Space-based data centres could offer advantages such as access to solar power, natural cooling and the ability to support high-density AI computing workloads, cloud storage and data processing.
The move comes amid growing interest from global technology and space companies, including SpaceX, Google, Axiom Space and Blue Origin, in developing computing infrastructure beyond Earth. The high electricity and water consumption of conventional data centres has added to the interest in alternative infrastructure.
Agnikul Expands Its Space Technology Capabilities
Agnikul made history in May 2024 when its Agnibaan SOrTeD mission launched from India’s first privately operated launchpad at Sriharikota. The mission also demonstrated technologies including the company’s 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine.
In September 2026, the company inaugurated two new units at its assembly and testing facility in Chennai to expand its capabilities in reusable rocket-stage testing and launch vehicle component manufacturing.
Agnikul expects its next launch to take place in the first half of 2027. The mission is expected to demonstrate its reusable launch vehicle and upper-stage technologies.
The Andhra Pradesh facility adds another dimension to the company’s plans, positioning its rocket technology as a potential platform for the emerging orbital computing industry.
