A 15-year-old Indian entrepreneur, Shreyans Jain, is making waves in the spacetech sector with his startup Celestial Aerospace.
The company is developing a balloon-assisted rocket launch system, also known as a “rockoon,” where rockets are first lifted to high altitudes—around 25 km above Earth—using a controlled balloon before ignition.
This approach aims to reduce fuel consumption, lower launch costs, and minimise structural stress compared to traditional ground launches.
Jain is leading a small team while still in school and is working on a partially reusable two-stage rocket called Phoenix, designed to carry payloads of up to 800 kg.
The startup has already secured early-stage funding and aims to achieve a commercial orbital launch by 2029, positioning itself among India’s emerging private space players.
The innovation highlights how India’s new generation of entrepreneurs is pushing boundaries in deep tech and space exploration, even at a very young age.
