What Skyward Experimental Rocketry does

Skyward Experimental Rocketry is a non-profit student association founded in 2012 and operated out of Politecnico di Milano (Via Privata Giuseppe La Masa, Milan, Italy). Its mission is the design, construction, and launch of sounding rockets for student aerospace engineering education and international competition. The organization has grown from 25-30 active members during the 2019 Hermes V0 project to 100+ members in 2024-2025 and competes annually at the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC) in Portugal while conducting test flights at Roccaraso, Italy.

The association's product portfolio spans a series of competition rockets (Rocksanne I-X in 2013-2014, Hermes V0 and VI in 2019, Lynx in 2021, Pyxis in 2022, Gemini in 2023, Lyra in 2024, and Orion in 2025) along with supporting propulsion and avionics subsystems: the Chimaera and Furia hybrid rocket engines, the Æneas demo-prototype liquid rocket engine (claimed as the first Italian liquid engine built by students), the Armored Grain fuel technology, the Death Stack flight computer, the Autonomous Rocket Pointer (ARP) ground tracking system, and an autonomously guided parafoil recovery system. Technical collaboration is delivered through roughly 20 technology partners, including SIAD for industrial gases, ANSYS, Siemens, Dassault Systèmes and Altair for simulation, SGL Carbon for composite materials, and Lenovo for computing hardware.

Skyward does not earn commercial revenue. As a student association, it operates through university resources, technical sponsorships, in-kind partner contributions, and donations, with apex performance validated by EuRoC awards (Design Award 2025, Flight Award 2024, Technical Award and ANACOM Award 2022, Second Overall Place 2021 and 2022). The customer base is effectively internal: Politecnico di Milano aerospace engineering students seeking hands-on multidisciplinary rocketry experience, supported by partners using the program as a recruitment and brand-building channel.

Name

Skyward Experimental Rocketry

Legal name

Skyward Experimental Rocketry

Website

https://skywarder.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Skyward Experimental Rocketry is a non-profit student association at Politecnico di Milano, founded in 2012, that designs and launches sounding rockets for aerospace engineering education and annual competition at the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experimental Sounding Rocketry

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), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rocket Engines (Liquid) (IMABADAE), Propulsion Test, Integration & Certification Services (IMABADAN), Rocket Motors, Propellants & Warhead Integration (IMABAHAC)

Keywords

• Student rocketry association
• Hybrid rocket propulsion
• Sounding rocket development
• Aerospace engineering education
• Experimental rocket competition

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership/Donations: As a student association, Skyward operates through membership contributions and donations to fund rocket development projects

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Skyward Experimental Rocketry is a non-profit student association at Politecnico di Milano that designs, manufactures, and launches sounding rockets for the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC) competition and educational purposes. Its core deliverable is a series of student-built hybrid and solid sounding rockets (e.g., Rocksanne, Hermes, Lynx, Pyxis, Gemini, Lyra, Orion) together with in-house propulsion systems (Furia and Chimæra hybrid engines, Æneas liquid engine), avionics, and guided recovery systems, demonstrated annually at EuRoC in Portugal.

Product overview

Skyward Experimental Rocketry is a student association at Politecnico di Milano that designs and launches sounding rockets since 2012. Their product portfolio consists of a series of rockets (Orion, Lyra, Gemini, Pyxis, Lynx, Hermes, Rocksanne) alongside supporting propulsion systems (Chimæra hybrid engine, Furia hybrid engine, Æneas liquid engine) and avionics subsystems (Death Stack flight computer, Guided Parafoil System, Autonomous Rocket Pointer). The rockets progress through competitive categories (COTS 3000m, Hybrid SRAD 3000m) at the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC), with each generation incorporating lessons learned and advanced technologies including carbon composite structures, air brakes for apogee control, and autonomous guided recovery systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Orion Fifth rocket of the Constellations Program, a 3000m Hybrid category sounding rocket for EuRoC 2025 featuring full carbon composite design, nitrogen pressurization system, renewed avionics, and guided parafoil recovery system capable of landing within 18 meters of target.
• Lyra Second hybrid rocket for SRAD Hybrid 3000m category at EuRoC 2024, featuring an advanced SRAD hybrid engine with Armored Grain (paraffin wax fuel reinforced with 3D printed structure), custom oxidizer tank, and guided parafoil recovery system.
• Æneas Demo-prototype Liquid Rocket Engine developed entirely by Skyward students, using ethanol as propellant and nitrous oxide as oxidizer with nitrogen pressurization. First Italian liquid engine built by students.
• Gemini Third rocket of new generation for EuRoC competition, first Skyward rocket in Hybrid SRAD 3000m category featuring the 'Furia' hybrid engine and modular electronics architecture with motherboard-daughterboard design.
• Chimæra First Hybrid Rocket Engine developed and built by Skyward, designed to fly on a student-developed sounding rocket for 3000m apogee at EuRoC. Uses nitrous oxide oxidizer and 3D printed ABS fuel grain.
• Pyxis Second competition rocket for EuRoC 2022 in Solid COTS 3000m category, featuring glass and carbon fiber fuselage, air brakes for apogee control, Scientific Payload (1U CubeSat), and autonomously guided parafoil recovery.
• Lynx First competition rocket for EuRoC 2021, modular aluminum fuselage rocket with carbon ogive reaching 3076m apogee. Features air brakes with active control, transparent electronics compartment, and dual-stage parachute recovery.
• Hermes VI Test rocket evolution featuring monocoque aluminum fuselage and optimized 3D printed nylon carbon-loaded nose cone and fins. Two identical prototypes built; launched successfully at Roccaraso.
• Hermes V0 First rocket of Hermes test series, low-cost test platform for Rogallo wing and subsystems. Built in 6 months by 25-30 people. Set Italian altitude record for student rockets at 1118m.
• Rocksanne I-X 2014 Lightweight revision of 2013 model with carbon fiber fincan and stabilizer fins, redesigned recovery system for greater reliability. Flew twice in less than 24 hours in June 2014.
• Rocksanne I-X 2013 First sounding rocket designed, produced and launched by Skyward. Simple design focused on reusability with pneumatic ejection system and CO2-powered recovery. First launch November 2013.

Quantifiable outcome

• Apogee accuracy within 1% of target achieved
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, main and technical.

• Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution providing academic support, facilities, and institutional backing for the student rocketry association
• DAER (Department of Aerospace Engineering)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic department providing technical guidance and research collaboration for rocket development projects
• 3T SpacemainTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partner providing space-related components and expertise
• ANSYSmainTechnology or IntegrationEngineering simulation software provider for CFD and structural analysis
• ESSS (Engineering Simulation Solutions)mainTechnology or IntegrationEngineering simulation solutions provider
• FamimainTechnology or IntegrationStorage and organization solutions provider
• GFM (Goglio Francescon Mario)mainTechnology or IntegrationManufacturing partner for precision components
• SGL CarbonmainTechnology or IntegrationCarbon fiber materials supplier for composite rocket structures
• SIADmainTechnology or IntegrationIndustrial gases provider for propulsion systems
• LenovomainTechnology or IntegrationComputing hardware provider for design and simulation workstations
• AerogravitytechnicalTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partner for aerospace solutions
• CamozzitechnicalTechnology or IntegrationPneumatic and automation components supplier
• DewesofttechnicalTechnology or IntegrationData acquisition systems provider for testing and telemetry
• BruggemanntechnicalTechnology or IntegrationChemical products supplier for propulsion development
• Mouser ElectronicstechnicalTechnology or IntegrationElectronic components distributor for avionics systems
• PersicomainTechnology or IntegrationComposite manufacturing partner
• MeusburgertechnicalTechnology or IntegrationMold and tooling solutions for composite manufacturing
• MadeinaddtechnicalTechnology or IntegrationAdditive manufacturing services for prototype components
• MakeratechnicalTechnology or IntegrationCNC machining solutions for precision parts
• LaserpeckertechnicalTechnology or IntegrationLaser engraving and marking equipment for component identification
• SiemenstechnicalTechnology or IntegrationEngineering software and simulation tools provider
• Dassault SystèmestechnicalTechnology or Integration3D design and simulation software (CATIA, SIMULIA) provider
• AltairtechnicalTechnology or IntegrationSimulation and optimization software provider
• IgustechnicalTechnology or IntegrationMotion plastics and cable carrier systems supplier
• MolextechnicalTechnology or IntegrationElectronic connectors and connectivity solutions for avionics

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• F3E - Fédération Française des Étudiants en Espace: French federation of student space projects, including multiple university rocket teams. Comparable as an organizational umbrella for European student rocketry competitions and EuRoC participation.
• EPFL Rocket Team: Swiss student rocket team at EPFL competing in EuRoC with hybrid propulsion sounding rockets. Directly comparable on EuRoC competition focus, hybrid engine development, and university-affiliated operating model.
• PoliSpace: Politecnico di Milano student space team focused on small-satellite and aerospace projects. Direct peer sharing the same host institution and aerospace engineering talent pool as Skyward.
• ARES - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Rocketry: UPM student rocket team competing at EuRoC in hybrid and SRAD categories. Comparable as a Spanish university rocketry team targeting the same competition envelope as Skyward.
• WARR - TU Munich Student Rocketry & Space Program: One of Europe's oldest and most established student rocketry teams at TU Munich, competing at EuRoC with hybrid and liquid propulsion. Direct peer in competition category and full-stack rocket development.
• DARE - Delft Aerospace Rocket Engineering: Student team at TU Delft designing and launching sounding rockets for the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC). Direct peer in technology, competition circuit, and student-rocket propulsion development.
• Sapienza Aerospace Team (Team Andromeda): Sapienza University of Rome student rocketry and aerospace team. Italian peer with similar university-based rocketry program and EuRoC-style competition focus.
• TU Berlin Aerospace Team (TUBE): German student aerospace team at TU Berlin engaged in sounding rocket and small-satellite development. Direct peer in European student rocketry R&D and competition circuit.

Broad incumbents

• Avio S.p.A. Italian aerospace prime producing the Vega launch vehicle and solid/liquid rocket propulsion. Not a peer in student rocketry but the dominant Italian aerospace incumbent that Skyward alumni frequently join and that shapes the local propulsion ecosystem.

Others

• SEDS - Students for the Exploration and Development of Space: Global student organization supporting university space and rocketry chapters. Relevant as an ecosystem/peer network rather than a direct competitor, providing the broader student-space community in which Skyward operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skyward-experimental-rocketry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Skyward Experimental Rocketry