T-Minus Engineering
T-Minus Engineering B.V. is a Dutch suborbital rocket developer that designs, manufactures, and launches sounding rockets (Barracuda, DART, CanSat Launcher) for scientific research, commercial applications, and defence customers including ESA, NASA, and the Dutch Ministry of Defence.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersDelft, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What T-Minus Engineering does
T-Minus Engineering B.V. is a Dutch private limited company headquartered in Delft, the Netherlands, founded in 2011 by four TU Delft graduates (Roel Eerkens, Mark Uitendaal, Hein Olthof, and Eric Smit) to develop suborbital sounding rockets for the European market and beyond. The company operates a vertically integrated "We Design, We Build, We Launch" model out of its Rotterdamseweg facility, building almost every aspect of its rockets in-house, including propulsion, structures, and electronics, with stated objectives of reducing cost and compressing development cycles. With a 1-10 person team, T-Minus targets three use cases: scientific suborbital flights and atmospheric research, commercial applications in the 50-200km altitude regime, and defence research including hypersonic velocity and anti-ballistic missile testing.
The product portfolio comprises three core rocket platforms. The Barracuda is a single-stage solid-fuel vehicle built on a 200mm diameter solid rocket motor, capable of carrying payloads up to 40kg to approximately 80km altitude or up to 200km apogee for hypersonic research. The DART is a low-cost, rapidly deployable system pairing a 118mm booster motor (approximately 8kN average thrust) with a 35mm dart-shaped payload compartment for probing the upper atmosphere between 50 and 120km altitude, having demonstrated a 120+ km, 150-second flight profile. The CanSat Launcher is a 3.17m, 0.2m-diameter rocket that deploys up to six CanSats simultaneously above 1km altitude for educational competitions. Complementing hardware, T-Minus offers systems engineering services for complex space and rocket projects and dedicated defence solutions covering microgravity experiments and hypersonic testing. In-house electronics design and production (EDA/CAD, reflow oven, rework stations) underpin the integration approach.
T-Minus generates revenue through hardware sales of off-the-shelf and customized sounding rocket platforms, professional engineering services, and defence suborbital flight services. Pricing is quote-based on multi-year contracts and not publicly disclosed. Customers include the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, the Dutch Ministry of Defence, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), TU Delft, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Southern Launch, and Maritime Launch Services. The company has expanded beyond Europe into Canada through a strategic partnership with Maritime Launch Services, executing Barracuda suborbital demonstrations from Spaceport Nova Scotia in November 2025 and June 2026, the latter of which encountered a boost-phase anomaly. Disclosed non-dilutive funding to date consists of a 2017 Horizon 2020 SME-Instrument Phase 1 grant for the DART project and an unspecified affiliation with YES!Delft in 2013.
T-Minus Engineering firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- T-Minus Engineering
- Legal name
- T-Minus Engineering B.V.
- Website
- https://t-minus.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- T-Minus Engineering B.V. is a Dutch suborbital rocket developer that designs, manufactures, and launches sounding rockets (Barracuda, DART, CanSat Launcher) for scientific research, commercial applications, and defence customers including ESA, NASA, and the Dutch Ministry of Defence.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
T-Minus Engineering industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Suborbital Launch Systems
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rocket Engines (Solid) (IMABADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Hypersonic Systems (Weapons & Defense) (IMABAOAG)
Keywords
Where T-Minus Engineering is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Delft
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
T-Minus Engineering business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Sounding Rocket Sales: Sale of off-the-shelf and custom suborbital rocket platforms including DART, CanSat Launcher, and Barracuda vehicles for scientific research and commercial applications
- Engineering Services: Systems engineering and management support for highly complex space and rocket engineering projects, including consulting and project execution
- Defence Applications: Suborbital flight services and hypersonic velocity access for defence applications including anti-ballistic missile research and testing
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Off-the-shelf products and custom engineering solutions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
T-Minus Engineering product offering
Product offeringCore offering
T-Minus Engineering designs, manufactures, and launches commercial suborbital sounding rocket platforms — the Barracuda hypersonic vehicle, the DART upper-atmosphere probing system, and the CanSat Launcher — for scientific research, commercial payloads, and defence applications. The company also provides systems engineering and project management services for complex space and rocket programs, operating a vertically integrated design-build-launch model from its Delft, Netherlands headquarters.
Product overview
T-Minus Engineering offers commercial suborbital platforms for scientific research, commercial applications, and national security solutions. The product portfolio includes three core rocket products: the Barracuda hypersonic vehicle (200mm solid rocket motor for payloads to 200km apogee), the DART atmospheric probing system (118mm booster with 35mm dart for 50-120km altitudes), and the CanSat Launcher (3.17m rocket deploying 6 CanSats above 1km). These are complemented by engineering services and defence solutions. The company operates a We Design, We Build, We Launch approach, building almost every aspect of rockets in-house to minimise development cycles while maintaining quality.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Barracuda: Hypersonic vehicle based on 200mm diameter solid rocket motor capable of carrying payloads up to 40 kilograms to approximately 80 kilometres (recent source) or up to 200km apogee (company specification).
- DART
- CanSat Launcher
Products and services
- Barracuda Rocket Single-stage solid-fuel rocket based on a 200mm diameter solid rocket motor, capable of carrying payloads up to 40kg to approximately 80km altitude or up to 200km apogee for hypersonic research and scientific suborbital flights. Targeted at research institutions, space agencies, and defence customers requiring Mach-class hypersonic access.
- T-Minus DART Low-cost, rapidly deployable rocket system for probing the upper atmosphere at 50–120 km altitude. Consists of a 118mm diameter booster motor (2.3m length, 8kN average thrust, 22kg propellant, 5s burn time) and a 35mm dart-shaped payload compartment with 30x250mm payload volume; achieved 120+ km altitude with a 150-second flight profile. Targeted at scientific researchers and atmospheric science programs.
- T-Minus CanSat Launcher 3.17-meter tall rocket capable of launching and deploying 6 CanSats simultaneously at altitudes exceeding 1 km. Features 0.2m diameter, ogive-shaped nosecone, conical tail cone, 4300 Ns impulse with 4.2s burn time, and approximately 23 kg total mass including payloads and parachute. Targeted at educational institutions and STEM competition organizers.
- Engineering Services Systems engineering and project management support for highly complex technical projects, specialising in space and rocket engineering. Provides consulting and project execution for institutions requiring suborbital and sounding-rocket capabilities.
- Defence Solutions Suborbital flight services and hypersonic velocity access for defence applications including anti-ballistic missile research and testing. Provides researchers and engineers access to microgravity conditions or hypersonic velocities via T-Minus rocket platforms. Targeted at defence ministries and government security agencies.
Quantifiable outcome
- DART achieves 120+ km altitude with 150-second flight profile
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use T-Minus Engineering
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
T-Minus Engineering technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
T-Minus Engineering partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Maritime Launch ServicescoreStrategic partnership for suborbital launch demonstrations from Spaceport Nova Scotia using T-Minus Engineering's Barracuda hypersonic vehicle. Multiple successful launches conducted (November 2025, June 2026) demonstrating operational readiness and validating Canada's path toward orbital launch capability.
- European Space AgencycoreT-Minus Engineering revealed the Barracuda rocket at ESA PAC symposium 2022 in Biarritz, France. The vehicle is based on a 200mm solid rocket motor for payloads to 200km apogee, enabling atmospheric and space science research.
- Southern LaunchminorLaunch range services partner visible on customer logos, indicating operational relationship for rocket launch services.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
T-Minus Engineering competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UP Aerospace: UP Aerospace is a small US-based provider of suborbital sounding rockets (e.g., SpaceLoft, Prospector) for science and technology payloads, operating from Spaceport America. It is one of the closest direct competitors to T-Minus in the low-cost commercial sounding-rocket segment for university, government and research customers.
- EXOS Aerospace: EXOS Aerospace develops and launches suborbital sounding rockets (e.g., SARGE, SUBROC) for research, education and technology-demonstration payloads. Like T-Minus, it targets the underserved commercial/educational sounding-rocket market with reusable suborbital platforms.
- Cesaroni Technology: Cesaroni Technology manufactures commercial solid rocket motors and propulsion components for high-power rocketry, sounding-rocket hobbyist and research markets. It is directly comparable to T-Minus' proprietary 118mm/200mm solid motor technology used in DART and Barracuda.
Broad incumbents
- Northrop Grumman (Orbital ATK/Minotaur sounding rockets): Northrop Grumman's Space Systems division operates historic sounding-rocket programs (e.g., Minotaur-family small launchers and suborbital research vehicles) and is an incumbent in suborbital and solid-propulsion launch, making it the dominant broad peer against which T-Minus competes for institutional and defense contracts.
- Nammo Raufoss: Nammo, via its Raufoss division, is a major European producer of solid rocket motors and propulsion components for defense and space applications. It serves the same solid-propulsion customer base as T-Minus but at much larger scale and with broader defense portfolio.
- L3Harris (Aerojet Rocketdyne): L3Harris, through legacy Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion, supplies solid and liquid rocket propulsion, including sounding-rocket and missile propulsion, to defense primes and government agencies. Comparable as a broad propulsion incumbent whose solid-motor offerings overlap with T-Minus' core technology.
Emerging players
- Stratolaunch: Stratolaunch is developing hypersonic test and suborbital launch services (Talon-A), directly comparable to T-Minus' hypersonic and Barracuda flight-test offering for defense and research customers. Both target emerging demand for affordable high-Mach test platforms.
- Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab's Electron and Neutron small-launch services overlap with the small-payload, dedicated-launch end of T-Minus' addressable market. While primarily orbital, Rocket Lab competes for the same institutional and defense customers seeking responsive, low-cost access to space.
Regional players
- Maritime Launch Services: Maritime Launch Services operates Spaceport Nova Scotia in Canada and is T-Minus' principal commercial launch partner. It is a regional peer/commercial counterpart providing launch-range services and customer access in Canada, where T-Minus conducts its current suborbital demonstrations.
Others
- Sounding Rocket program (NASA Wallops / DLR MORABA): NASA's Sounding Rockets Program Office at Wallops Flight Facility and DLR's MORABA mobile rocket base are institutional operators of suborbital science rockets and direct customers of vehicles like T-Minus' Barracuda. They are ecosystem peers rather than direct competitors and represent key demand-side counterparts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
T-Minus Engineering social profiles
Digital presenceT-Minus Engineering financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
T-Minus Engineering leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
T-Minus Engineering funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
T-Minus Engineering M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about T-Minus Engineering
What does T-Minus Engineering do?
T-Minus Engineering designs, manufactures, and launches commercial suborbital sounding rocket platforms — the Barracuda hypersonic vehicle, the DART upper-atmosphere probing system, and the CanSat Launcher — for scientific research, commercial payloads, and defence applications. The company also provides systems engineering and project management services for complex space and rocket programs, operating a vertically integrated design-build-launch model from its Delft, Netherlands headquarters.
Is T-Minus Engineering a public or private company?
T-Minus Engineering is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was T-Minus Engineering founded?
T-Minus Engineering was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is T-Minus Engineering based?
T-Minus Engineering is headquartered in Delft, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does T-Minus Engineering make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Sounding Rocket Sales are the primary driver. The others are engineering Services and defence Applications.
Who are T-Minus Engineering's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UP Aerospace, EXOS Aerospace and Cesaroni Technology. Broad incumbents are Northrop Grumman (Orbital ATK/Minotaur sounding rockets), Nammo Raufoss and L3Harris (Aerojet Rocketdyne). Emerging players are Stratolaunch and Rocket Lab. Maritime Launch Services is listed as a regional player. Sounding Rocket program (NASA Wallops / DLR MORABA) is listed as an others.
Does T-Minus Engineering have an API?
No public API is recorded for T-Minus Engineering.
What industry is T-Minus Engineering in?
T-Minus Engineering's product category is Suborbital Launch Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABADAF, Rocket Engines (Solid), with a secondary code of IMABAOAG, Hypersonic Systems (Weapons & Defense). Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.