Space Team Aachen

What Space Team Aachen does

Space Team Aachen (legally Space Team Aachen e.V.) is a German non-profit student association founded in 2019 in Aachen, Germany, that designs, manufactures, and tests rockets, re-entry vehicle experiments, and planetary rovers. The organization draws members from RWTH Aachen University and FH Aachen and has grown to over 190 members across multiple parallel technical programs spanning propulsion, structures, avionics, thermal protection, and robotics.

The technical portfolio is built around a hybrid-propulsion stack including the IF-1 and IF-2 engines (liquid nitrous oxide and solid paraffin, 4 kN average thrust) and Type 3 composite overwrapped pressure vessels rated above 60 bar, paired with in-house avionics, split-mould carbon-fibre airframe tooling, two-stage parachute recovery, and air-brake/airbag descent systems. Operational milestones include the AQUILA solid-fuel competition rocket for Spaceport America Cup 2023, the STAHR hybrid rocket reaching 21 km altitude from Esrange Space Center in October 2024, the forthcoming ASTRID hybrid rocket for the EuRoC 2026 competition in Portugal, the TRACE transpiration-cooling REXUS flight experiment targeting ~80 km, the HOPPER reusable VTOL vehicle program, and the SCORPIUS Mars rover project.

The entity operates as an eingetragener Verein (registered association) under German non-profit law and does not sell commercial products or services. Funding streams consist of €5 monthly membership dues, individual PayPal donations, foundation grants (Wilhelm-Stemmer, HHV Stiftung, proRWTH), and institutional program support — primarily DLR's STERN (STudentische Experimental RaketeN) program and the ESA-managed REXUS/BEXUS initiative co-funded with the Swedish National Space Agency and operated through SSC at Esrange. The effective customer base is dual: student members who gain hands-on aerospace engineering experience, and institutional program providers (DLR, ESA, SSC, SNSA, RWTH institutes, FH Aachen) who supply funding, technical reviews, and launch infrastructure.

Name

Space Team Aachen

Legal name

Space Team Aachen e.V.

Website

https://spaceteamaachen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Space Team Aachen is a non-profit student association in Aachen, Germany, founded in 2019, where RWTH and FH Aachen students design, manufacture, and test hybrid rockets, re-entry heat-shield experiments, and Mars rover prototypes, operating under DLR STERN and ESA REXUS/BEXUS program support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Aerospace Engineering Research

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

Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spacecraft Propulsion (In-Space) & Thrusters (IMABACAE), Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD), Hybrid Rocket Engines (IMABADAG), Reentry, Descent & Landing Systems (Capsules, Heat Shields, Parachutes) (IMABACAL)

Keywords

• Student rocketry
• Hybrid propulsion
• Aerospace research
• Re-entry vehicles
• Competition rockets

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Monthly membership fees of €5 per member used to organize events and participate in competitions. The association covers food and beverages at events for members.
2. Donations: Accepts PayPal donations from supporters who cannot join but wish to contribute to the association's activities and projects.
3. DLR STERN Program Funding: Funding from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) STERN program supporting student teams in developing suborbital rockets. Project STAHR was funded under FKZ: 50RL2151.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Space Team Aachen is a registered student association (eingetragener Verein, e.V.) based in Aachen, Germany that develops rockets, hybrid rocket engines, re-entry vehicles, satellite systems, and planetary rovers through hands-on student-led aerospace projects. The organization participates in international rocketry competitions (EuRoC, Spaceport America Cup) and conducts propulsion, recovery, and avionics research across more than 10 active project lines.

Product overview

Space Team Aachen is a student association developing a portfolio of aerospace projects including rockets (HOPPER, ASTRID, STAHR, AQUILA, CARL), rovers (SCORPIUS), and experiments (TRACE, TRACER, AQUIS). These projects range from reusable rocket development and hybrid propulsion systems to re-entry technology experiments, with the organization participating in international rocketry competitions like EuRoC and Spaceport America Cup.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HOPPER Reusable Rocket Hopper Reusable rocket hopper designed for vertical take-off, hover, and landing test flights to validate reusable propulsion and recovery technology. Developed for student researchers and the broader rocketry community.
• ASTRID Hybrid Sounding Rocket Hybrid sounding rocket powered by a 4 kN IF-1 hybrid engine targeting a 3 km apogee, intended for the EuRoC 2026 competition. Built by students to demonstrate hybrid propulsion and high-altitude flight.
• STAHR Hybrid Sounding Rocket Hybrid sounding rocket powered by the IF-2 hybrid engine (14 kN thrust) targeting 21 km altitude. Launched in October 2024 as a high-altitude demonstration of student-developed hybrid propulsion.
• AQUILA Competition Rocket Solid-propellant competition rocket reaching approximately 9 km apogee, developed for the Spaceport America Cup 2023 competition. Built by students for the collegiate rocketry competition circuit.
• CARL Competition Rocket Competition rocket developed for EuRoC 2020, representing an early-generation student-built vehicle for the European Rocketry Challenge.
• SCORPIUS Mars Rover Student-built Mars rover prototype designed to explore autonomous navigation, mobility, and payload integration for planetary surface exploration. Targeted at university-level planetary robotics competitions and research.
• TRACE Transpiration Cooling Experiment Active transpiration cooling research experiment designed for high-altitude re-entry testing up to 80 km, investigating thermal protection technologies for re-entry vehicles.
• TRACER Transpiration Cooling Experiment Earlier-stage transpiration cooling experiment supporting the TRACE program's research into active thermal management for re-entry vehicle structures.
• AQUIS Aerospace Research Project Aerospace systems research and integration project supporting cross-disciplinary subsystems development within the association.

Quantifiable outcome

• STAHR rocket successfully launched to 21 km altitude demonstrating hybrid propulsion capability

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DLR (German Aerospace Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2021Primary institutional partner through the STERN (STudentische Experimental RaketeN) program. DLR provides funding, professional support, expert reviews (PDR, CDR, FRR), and launch campaign support at Esrange Space Center. Also supports TRACE REXUS/BEXUS experiment.
• ESA (European Space Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2020ESA provides technical support for REXUS/BEXUS student experiments and enables European student access to the program. Part of EuroLaunch cooperation.
• SSC (Swedish Space Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates Esrange Space Center where STAHR launched and TRACE will launch. Part of EuroLaunch cooperation with DLR MORABA for REXUS/BEXUS campaign management.
• SNSA (Swedish National Space Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish National Space Agency enables international access to REXUS/BEXUS program through ESA collaboration. Co-funds the sounding rocket infrastructure.
• RWTH Aachen UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary university partner providing student access, research collaboration, and support through multiple institutes including HGD (Chair of High Pressure Gas Dynamics), ITA, ILT, and others.
• FH AachencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences partner contributing students and academic resources to Space Team Aachen projects.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WARR Space Labs (TU Munich): Direct peer: largest German student rocketry team at TU Munich developing sounding rockets, hybrid engines, and reentry payloads (e.g., the Curious cargo mission to the ISS via Ariane 6). Comparable structure, mission, and competition footprint.
• HyEnD (University of Stuttgart): Direct peer: Stuttgart-based student team developing hybrid rocket propulsion (Hylos/HORUS engines), operating on similar STERN funding and competing in the same EuRoC and Spaceport America Cup circuits as Space Team Aachen.
• HERMES (TU Berlin): Direct peer: TU Berlin student initiative focused on rocket/space projects with similar non-profit structure, university sponsorship, and competition participation; comparable scale and mission.

Emerging players

• HyImpulse Technologies: Emerging player: German company developing hybrid small launch vehicles (SL1); shares the paraffin/N2O hybrid propulsion niche with Space Team Aachen's STAHR/IF-1 engine and represents a parallel commercialization path for similar hybrid technology.
• Morpheus Space: Emerging player: German propulsion startup focused on electric/hybrid in-space propulsion; comparable propulsion R&D roots in European universities but commercial/VC-funded rather than association-based.

Broad incumbents

• Isar Aerospace: Broad incumbent: Munich-based commercial small launch provider developing the Spectrum rocket. Operates in the same German/European rocket-manufacturing ecosystem and absorbs many of the same RWTH/TUM graduates Space Team Aachen produces.
• Rocket Factory Augsburg: Broad incumbent: German commercial launch startup building the Helix/RFA One launch vehicle using staged-combustion engines. Comparable German space-manufacturing heritage and overlap with the same DLR/FH ecosystem.
• OHB System AG: Broad incumbent: Major European space prime headquartered in Bremen, employing many RWTH alumni and working alongside DLR on satellite and launch programs. Represents a key career destination and ecosystem partner for Space Team Aachen graduates.

Others

• DLR (German Aerospace Center): Not a competitor, but the primary institutional partner: operates STERN funding, Lampoldshausen test facilities, and Esrange launch campaigns that Space Team Aachen depends on for propulsion testing and orbital-class launches.
• European Space Agency (ESA): Not a competitor but a key enabler: co-funds the REXUS/BEXUS program that gives Space Team Aachen access to suborbital research launches and engineering reviews for the TRACE experiment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgit.spaceteamaachen.de/explore/organizations
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@spaceteamaachen
• Facebookfacebook.com/spaceteamaachen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/space-team-aachen
• Instagraminstagram.com/spaceteamaachen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Space Team Aachen