PTScientists
Berlin-based spaceflight-systems and engineering-services company building lunar landers, CubeSats, and Ariane 6 rocket-stage avionics for ESA and ArianeGroup, with a terrestrial IoT container-tracking spin-off developed with Zeitfracht.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What PTScientists does
Planetary Transportation Systems (PTS), operating commercially as PTScientists, is a Berlin-based spaceflight-systems and engineering-services company that designs and delivers spacecraft hardware and subsystems to government space agencies and aerospace prime contractors. Originally founded in June 2009 as Part-Time Scientists for the Google Lunar X-Prize — and now operating from a registered Teltow/Berlin-Mahlsdorf base with a Salzburg engineering office — the company builds a portfolio spanning the ALINA lunar lander (~1,250 kg launch mass, ~320 kg landing mass, 100 kg payload), the Audi Lunar Quattro rover (co-developed with Audi AG), the Curium One 12U CubeSat (launched on the Ariane 6 maiden flight on July 9, 2024, operating at 580 km altitude), and the avionics and operating system for the Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage delivered as the largest subcontractor to ArianeGroup.
The company's business model is B2B enterprise field sales into institutional buyers — primarily ESA (Curium One under the Boost!/Fly! programme, ISRU mission definition study) and ArianeGroup (ASTRIS kick stage avionics, publicly reported program value ~€90M) — supplemented by co-funded mission partnerships (Audi, Vodafone, Nokia Bell Labs, Arch Mission Foundation) and a terrestrial spin-off product, CLAM, a patented IoT container-tracking and load-sensing system co-developed with logistics investor Zeitfracht Group and deployed across their fleet. Following a 2019 insolvency filing that halted the ALINA flight programme, the management team completed a buy-out in January 2020 and relaunched as Planetary Transportation Systems (PTS) GmbH, pivoting from a single-mission lunar lander to an independent engineering-services supplier.
PTScientists firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PTScientists
- Legal name
- Innovius UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
- Website
- https://ptscientists.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Berlin-based spaceflight-systems and engineering-services company building lunar landers, CubeSats, and Ariane 6 rocket-stage avionics for ESA and ArianeGroup, with a terrestrial IoT container-tracking spin-off developed with Zeitfracht.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PTScientists industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Spacecraft Systems & Aerospace Engineering
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Reentry, Descent & Landing Systems (Capsules, Heat Shields, Parachutes) (IMABACAL), Space Logistics & In-Orbit Servicing (Refueling, Tug, Debris Removal) (IMABACAM)
Keywords
Where PTScientists is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
PTScientists business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Spaceflight Systems Engineering Contracts: Major contracts with ESA and ArianeGroup for spacecraft development and avionics systems. The Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage contract was publicly reported at around €90M, making PTS the largest subcontractor on the program.
- Spacecraft Hardware Sales: Sale of lunar landers (ALINA), rovers (Audi Lunar Quattro), and CubeSats (Curium One) to government agencies and commercial customers.
- Terrestrial IoT Products (CLAM): Container logistics and asset monitoring solutions sold to logistics companies, applying space heritage to commercial terrestrial applications.
- Space Mission Partnerships: Collaborative missions where partners (Audi, Vodafone, Nokia, Arch Mission Foundation) co-funded development in exchange for mission participation, technology demonstrations, or brand exposure.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
PTScientists product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Planetary Transportation Systems (PTScientists) is an independent spaceflight-systems and aerospace engineering-services company. It designs and builds lunar landers (ALINA), lunar rovers (Audi Lunar Quattro), CubeSats (Curium One), and rocket-stage avionics (Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage). It also develops terrestrial IoT spin-offs such as the CLAM container-tracking system, applying space-grade sensing and connectivity technology to commercial logistics.
Product overview
Planetary Transportation Systems (PTS) operates as a spaceflight-systems and engineering-services company. The portfolio centers on the ALINA lunar lander and Audi Lunar Quattro rovers developed during the Mission to the Moon programme, the Curium One 12U CubeSat launched on Ariane 6, and the Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage avionics contract. Post-restructuring in 2020, PTS pivoted to provide independent spaceflight systems and engineering services, including a terrestrial spin-off product called CLAM — a container-tracking IoT system developed with Zeitfracht Group that applies the team's space-grade sensing and connectivity heritage to logistics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ALINA (Autonomous Landing and Navigation Module) Robotic lunar lander designed for payload delivery to the lunar surface, with a launch mass of ~1,250 kg, landing mass of ~320 kg, payload capacity up to 100 kg (up to 300 kg upgraded), 8 × 200 N main engines and X-band/S-band communications; also capable of deploying CubeSats into lunar orbit. Sold to government space agencies and commercial customers.
- Audi Lunar Quattro Rover Four-wheeled lunar exploration rover co-developed with Audi AG, equipped with advanced mobility and imaging subsystems; designed for surface operations in conjunction with the ALINA lander.
- Curium One 12U CubeSat 12U CubeSat developed for ESA under the Boost!/Fly! programme, launched aboard the Ariane 6 maiden flight; operates at 580 km altitude using an open-source SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver, providing on-orbit data and communications heritage.
- CLAM (Container Logistics and Asset Monitoring) Patented IoT asset-tracking and load-sensing system for shipping containers and swap bodies; applies PTS's space-grade sensing and connectivity heritage to commercial logistics, deployed across Zeitfracht's fleet.
- Ariane 6 ASTRIS Kick Stage Avionics Avionics system and operating system for the Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage; a low-cost COTS-based solution developed by PTS as largest subcontractor to ArianeGroup for ESA.
Quantifiable outcome
- €90M contract as largest subcontractor on Ariane 6 ASTRIS program
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use PTScientists
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PTScientists technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
PTScientists partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Libre Space FoundationcoreAthens-based co-builder of the Curium One 12U CubeSat — contributors of the open-source SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver demonstrated in orbit aboard Ariane 6 maiden flight.
- ArianeGroupflagshipPrime contractor of the Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage; PTS selected as the largest subcontractor on avionics and operating system development — publicly reported at ~€90M. PTS developed low-cost COTS solution for ESA's next-generation rocket.
- European Space Agency (ESA)flagshipISRU lunar mission definition study consortium member (January 2019); selected PTS to fly Curium One satellite under Boost!/Fly! programme (February 2022); customer for ASTRIS kick stage avionics.
- Vodafone GermanycoreProvider of planned 4G LTE network on the Moon — LTE Band 3 (1800 MHz) — to link the ALINA lander with the Lunar Quattro rovers. Part of the Mission to the Moon program.
- Nokia Bell LabscoreBuilt the spaceflight-grade LTE base-station hardware (under 1 kg) for the Mission to the Moon. Selected by Vodafone as technology partner in February 2018 for the lunar 4G network.
- Arch Mission FoundationcoreLunar Library partner: PTS contributed to landing Wikipedia and humanity's records on the Moon twice — aboard SpaceIL's Beresheet (April 2019) and Intuitive Machines' Odysseus (February 2024). PTS built the storage medium hosting the data.
- DLR (German Aerospace Center)minorGerman space agency provided technical support for the Mission to the Moon program, including rover development cooperation and qualification campaigns for the Audi Lunar Quattro.
- Spaceflight IndustriesminorOriginal launch broker for the Mission to the Moon — contracted in November 2016 to fly ALINA on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare to translunar injection. Contract ended when mission was replanned.
- Audi AGflagshipCo-developer and main sponsor of the Audi Lunar Quattro rovers. Partnership announced at Cannes Advertising Festival; rovers officially named 'Audi Lunar Quattro' at NAIAS Detroit (January 2016). Audi provided rover engineering expertise and 3D-printed metal parts. The accompanying 'Mission to the Moon' brand campaign won Bronze Lion at Cannes Lions 2016.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PTScientists competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ispace: Tokyo-based commercial lunar lander developer (Hakuto-R programme) building small landers for payload delivery to the Moon. Directly comparable to PTS as another privately-funded entrant pursuing commercial and institutional lunar payload contracts.
- Astrobotic Technology: Pittsburgh-based lunar lander developer (Peregrine, Griffin) with multiple NASA CLPS task orders. Comparable to PTS as a competitor for NASA and ESA commercial lunar payload delivery contracts using small/medium lander platforms.
- Intuitive Machines: Houston-based lunar lander and space services company (Odysseus / Nova-C), a NASA CLPS prime contractor that has already flown a lunar mission. Comparable as a commercial lunar lander peer; PTS contributed payload data aboard Intuitive Machines' Odysseus mission via Arch Mission Foundation.
- Terran Orbital: U.S.-based small-satellite manufacturer and mission integrator (bus platforms, payload integration, constellations) supplying institutional and commercial customers. Comparable to PTS as a CubeSat / small spacecraft integrator pursuing similar ESA and institutional CubeSat contracts.
Broad incumbents
- Rocket Lab: U.S. small launch and space systems company (Electron, Neutron, Photon satellite bus, Varda re-entry capsule) that builds both launch vehicles and spacecraft subsystems. Comparable to PTS as an integrated small-sat / avionics supplier targeting institutional customers with vertically-stacked capabilities.
- OHB SE: German-headquartered European space prime contractor active across satellites, lunar systems (Hera), and ESA programmes. Comparable to PTS as a Berlin-area space company competing for ESA subcontracts and institutional mission roles, though operating at materially larger scale and broader portfolio.
- Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL): UK-based small-satellite manufacturer (owned by Airbus Defence and Space) with deep institutional customer heritage across ESA and commercial constellations. Comparable to PTS as a Tier-1 European smallsat and avionics supplier targeting institutional and commercial spaceflight customers.
- Beyond Gravity: Swiss-based supplier of space mechanisms, structures, and electronics (formerly RUAG Space). Comparable to PTS as a European supplier of launch-vehicle and spacecraft subsystems — including kick-stage avionics — to ESA primes including ArianeGroup.
Emerging players
- Libre Space Foundation: Athens-based open-source space organisation that co-built PTS's Curium One CubeSat and contributed the SatNOGS-COMMS transceiver. Comparable as an emerging European CubeSat developer and open-source hardware collaborator targeting ESA programmes.
Regional players
- Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace: Norwegian-headquartered defence and space systems supplier with a strong ESA and European institutional customer base, active in small spacecraft subsystems and avionics. Comparable to PTS as a smaller European space-systems supplier competing for institutional launch-vehicle and spacecraft work, though with stronger Nordic defence heritage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PTScientists social profiles
Digital presencePTScientists financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PTScientists leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
PTScientists subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
PTScientists funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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PTScientists 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 PTScientists
What does PTScientists do?
Planetary Transportation Systems (PTScientists) is an independent spaceflight-systems and aerospace engineering-services company. It designs and builds lunar landers (ALINA), lunar rovers (Audi Lunar Quattro), CubeSats (Curium One), and rocket-stage avionics (Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage). It also develops terrestrial IoT spin-offs such as the CLAM container-tracking system, applying space-grade sensing and connectivity technology to commercial logistics.
Is PTScientists a public or private company?
PTScientists is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was PTScientists founded?
PTScientists was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is PTScientists based?
PTScientists is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does PTScientists make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Spaceflight Systems Engineering Contracts are the primary driver. The others are spacecraft Hardware Sales, terrestrial IoT Products (CLAM) and space Mission Partnerships.
Who are PTScientists's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ispace, Astrobotic Technology, Intuitive Machines and Terran Orbital. Broad incumbents are Rocket Lab, OHB SE, Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) and Beyond Gravity. Libre Space Foundation is listed as an emerging player. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace is listed as a regional player.
Does PTScientists have an API?
No public API is recorded for PTScientists.
What industry is PTScientists in?
PTScientists's product category is Spacecraft Systems & Aerospace Engineering. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAI, Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software, with a secondary code of IMABACAL, Reentry, Descent & Landing Systems (Capsules, Heat Shields, Parachutes). Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.