Space Team Aachen
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersAachen, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Space Team Aachen firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Space Team Aachen industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Space Team Aachen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aachen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Space Team Aachen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- 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.
- Donations: Accepts PayPal donations from supporters who cannot join but wish to contribute to the association's activities and projects.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Student Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Space Team Aachen product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Space Team Aachen
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Space Team Aachen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Space Team Aachen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- DLR (German Aerospace Center)corePrimary 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)coreESA provides technical support for REXUS/BEXUS student experiments and enables European student access to the program. Part of EuroLaunch cooperation.
- SSC (Swedish Space Corporation)coreOperates 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)coreSwedish National Space Agency enables international access to REXUS/BEXUS program through ESA collaboration. Co-funds the sounding rocket infrastructure.
- RWTH Aachen UniversitycorePrimary 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 AachencoreUniversity of Applied Sciences partner contributing students and academic resources to Space Team Aachen projects.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Space Team Aachen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Space Team Aachen social profiles
Digital presenceSpace Team Aachen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Space Team Aachen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Space Team Aachen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Space Team Aachen 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 Space Team Aachen
What does Space Team Aachen do?
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.
Is Space Team Aachen a public or private company?
Space Team Aachen is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Space Team Aachen founded?
Space Team Aachen was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Space Team Aachen based?
Space Team Aachen is headquartered in Aachen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Space Team Aachen make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and DLR STERN Program Funding.
Who are Space Team Aachen's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WARR Space Labs (TU Munich), HyEnD (University of Stuttgart) and HERMES (TU Berlin). Emerging players are HyImpulse Technologies and Morpheus Space. Broad incumbents are Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg and OHB System AG. Others are DLR (German Aerospace Center) and European Space Agency (ESA).
Does Space Team Aachen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Space Team Aachen.
What industry is Space Team Aachen in?
Space Team Aachen's product category is Student Aerospace Engineering Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAA, Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets, with a secondary code of IMABACAE, Spacecraft Propulsion (In-Space) & Thrusters. Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.