What Portland State Aerospace Society does

Portland State Aerospace Society (PSAS), founded in 1999 at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, is an interdisciplinary, all-volunteer student organization that designs, builds, and flies open-source aerospace systems. Its core technology portfolio spans four streams: amateur high-power rockets (eight generations developed, LV0 through LV4, with LV3 as the current flight testbed and LV4 in development as the first liquid-fuel-powered vehicle targeting 100 km altitude); small-scale liquid-fuel rocket engines including a 2.2 kN development engine fabricated via DMLS additive manufacturing; the OreSat open-source modular CubeSat system (OreSat0 flew in 2021 as Oregon's first satellite; OreSat1 in development); and the UniClOGS satellite ground station. Supporting subsystems include the cold-gas reaction control system (cg-RCS), electric nosecone separation ring (eNSR), RocketView 3000 telemetry visualization, and the minimal test stand (minTS) capable of static testing liquid engines up to 10 kN. All designs are published under copyleft licenses (GPL v3 for software, CERN Open Hardware License for hardware, CC BY-SA for documentation), enabling free reuse and modification.

PSAS operates as a registered student group at Portland State University and serves university undergraduates as its primary constituency, with secondary participation from high school students, community college students, students from other universities, and industry advisors. The primary mission is hands-on interdisciplinary systems engineering experience; the secondary mission is publication of low-cost, open-source aerospace designs. Its go-to-market is community-led: weekly Tuesday-evening meetings (hybrid Zoom and in-person at the PSU Engineering Building), quarterly orientations, targeted outreach to high schools and community colleges, and the annual Pacific Northwest Aerospace Expo (PNWAE). Distribution of 'product' occurs via GitHub open-source repositories under a global reach.

PSAS is structured as a private, non-profit student organization with no paid staff; Andrew Greenberg, Senior Instructor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at PSU, serves as faculty advisor. There is no commercial revenue model. Funding flows entirely through tax-deductible donations made via the Portland State Foundation's 501C3 status, supplemented by in-kind corporate sponsorships (Ansys, Autodesk, GitHub, 3D Systems, OSH Park, Screaming Circuits, Composite Envisions, i3dmfg, CR Technology). The organization has raised no disclosed equity or venture funding, has no parent company, and has undergone the notable structural move of spinning OreSat out as a dedicated sub-program. PSAS is actively operating, with LV3.1 launch 14 planned for summer 2025 and a 2026 open house already announced.

Name

Portland State Aerospace Society

Legal name

Portland State Aerospace Society

Website

https://pdxaerospace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Portland State Aerospace Society is an all-volunteer student organization at Portland State University that designs, builds, and publishes open-source rockets, liquid-fuel engines, CubeSats, and satellite ground stations, serving undergraduate, high school, and community college participants with mentorship from industry advisors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Open Source Aerospace Engineering Education

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturing (336415), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Engines & Turbines (3510)

akta.pro primary industry

Rocket Engines (Solid) (IMABADAF)

Keywords

• Open source aerospace
• Amateur rocketry
• Liquid fuel engines
• Cube satellites
• Satellite ground stations

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tax-Deductible Donations: PSAS is funded entirely through donations made to the Portland State Foundation, which has 501C3 status. Donations are tax-deductible and support student-led open source aerospace projects including rockets, liquid fuel engines, and CubeSats.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Portland State Aerospace Society (PSAS) is an interdisciplinary student group at Portland State University that designs, builds, and flies ultra-low-cost, open source rockets, liquid-fuel rocket engines, CubeSat nanosatellites, and satellite ground stations. Its primary mission is delivering hands-on, team-based systems engineering experience to students through four strategic project lines: amateur rockets, liquid fuel propulsion, the OreSat CubeSat system, and the UniClOGS ground station. All designs, software, and documentation are published openly under copyleft licenses.

Product overview

Portland State Aerospace Society (PSAS) is a student-led open source aerospace engineering organization developing an integrated portfolio of ultra-low-cost aerospace technologies. The core offerings span four strategic areas: amateur rockets (LV0 through LV4, with LV3 as current test platform and LV4 as next-generation liquid-fuel vehicle targeting 100 km), liquid fuel rocket engines including a 2.2 kN development engine with the minimal test stand (minTS), the OreSat modular CubeSat system (including OreSat0, Oregon's first satellite), and the UniClOGS satellite ground station. All designs are published as open source under copyleft licenses (GPL v3 for software, CERN OHL for hardware, CC BY-SA for documentation). Supporting subsystems include the cold gas reaction control system (cg-rcs), electric nosecone separation ring (eNSR), and RocketView 3000 telemetry visualization. These products function as educational engineering projects rather than commercial offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OreSat: Open source and modular CubeSat system, including OreSat0 (Oregon's first satellite) and OreSat1 in development
• UniClOGS
• minTS
• LFETS

Products and services

• LV3 Launch Vehicle Current generation PSAS high-power amateur rocket, serving as a test platform for technologies intended for the next-generation LV4. Features a modular carbon fiber airframe using a sandwich design that is 5x lighter than the prior LV2 airframe, an electromechanical recovery system, and a cold gas reaction control system. Open source design published on GitHub.
• LV4 Launch Vehicle Next-generation PSAS launch vehicle designed to be the first PSAS rocket powered by a liquid fuel engine, targeting 100 km altitude (edge of space). Features 0.3 m outer diameter modular aluminum isogrid fuel tanks and airframe sections with composite components. Open source design published on GitHub.
• Liquid Fuel Rocket Engines Small-scale liquid fuel rocket engine program including a 2.2 kN development engine produced via DMLS (direct metal laser sintering) 3D-printed aluminum, with a Python script that procedurally generates CAD models for the engine based on design parameters. Includes the companion minimal test stand (minTS) for static testing. Designed for open source replication.
• OreSat CubeSat System Open source, modular CubeSat system designed, built, and flown by PSAS. OreSat0 became Oregon's first satellite in 2021, and the program continues with OreSat1 in development. Designs are published openly so anyone can build their own CubeSat from the OreSat bus.
• UniClOGS University Class Open Ground Station University Class Open Ground Station — an open source satellite ground station allowing communication with satellites (including OreSat). Designed to be reproducible by universities and hobbyists, with complete design documentation published openly.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 aerospace-related jobs obtained by PSAS alumni
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CPP Bronco Space (Cal Poly Pomona)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOther university space group that PSAS collaborates with, including joint presentations at PNWAE events.
• HuskySat (University of Washington)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity satellite group that PSAS works with on shared aerospace projects.
• SEDS (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate organization supporting student space projects; Andrew Greenberg serves on SEDS-USA Board of Advisors.
• George Fox University Rocket TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional university rocket team participating in PNWAE student aerospace group showcase.
• AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional aerospace organization that PSAS collaborates with on events like 'We in Space' speaker series.
• Portland State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSAS is an official student group at PSU, using the Engineering Building as headquarters. Andrew Greenberg serves as faculty advisor from PSU's Electrical and Computer Engineering department.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SEDS-USA (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space): SEDS is a global student-led space advocacy and project organization with which PSAS is already affiliated. Both are volunteer student organizations running student aerospace projects, sharing a mission to develop the next generation of space professionals.
• University of Washington HuskySat Lab: UW HuskySat is a student-led university satellite program and an existing PSAS partner. Both are student organizations publishing academic aerospace work and competing in the same collegiate aerospace ecosystem.
• Purdue Space Program: Purdue Space Program is a student-run aerospace organization developing rockets and small satellites. Shares PSAS's mission of providing hands-on aerospace engineering experience to students.
• Cal Poly Pomona Bronco Space: Cal Poly Pomona's student-led space program is an existing PSAS partner and shares the same model of university-based student teams building rockets and CubeSats. Both organizations collaborate on joint presentations at PNWAE and represent a near-identical peer in mission and structure.
• University of Illinois Aerospace Engineering: UIUC's aerospace engineering program supports student-led rocket and satellite projects through its Aerospace Engineering department. Comparable to PSAS as a university-based platform for student aerospace development.
• Stanford Space Rendezvous Laboratory (SLAB): Stanford SLAB is a student/professional aerospace research lab that develops spacecraft and rendezvous technology. Comparable to PSAS in the academic aerospace development space, though typically with greater resourcing and graduate-level involvement.
• Georgia Tech Space Systems Design Lab: Georgia Tech SSDL is a student and faculty aerospace lab building small spacecraft and rockets. Comparable to PSAS as a university-based research and development community focused on small-scale aerospace systems.
• Cornell Rocketry: Cornell Rocketry is a student-led high-power rocketry team at Cornell University. Like PSAS, it builds advanced amateur rockets and competes in intercollegiate competitions, making it a direct parallel in mission and team structure.

Broad incumbents

• SpaceX: SpaceX is a leading commercial space company developing rockets and spacecraft. While PSAS operates at a fundamentally smaller scale and educational mission, both are in the launch vehicle and space systems category, making SpaceX a broad category peer.
• Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab is a commercial small-launch provider operating in the same rocket and propulsion domain as PSAS. While vastly larger and commercial in nature, it addresses the same end-customer segments (small satellite operators) and competes in the broader small-launch market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/pdxaerospace
• GitHubgithub.com/psas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PSASRockets
• Facebookfacebook.com/pdxaerospace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portland-state-aerospace-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/pdxaerospace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Portland State Aerospace Society