Purdue Orbital

Purdue Orbital is a student organization at Purdue University. Its members design and build rockets and related systems. The site describes the team as a multidisciplinary group working on aerospace, avionics, propulsion, GNC, rocketry and launch methods. The site says all majors and backgrounds are welcome.

The site says the group gives members technical and professional skills. Members can work in design, manufacturing, operations and leadership. The site describes the team as a place to build skills before entering the workforce. It says the group also helps members grow in social and professional ways.

The team has flown several rockets. The Icarus Alpha launch was the maiden flight of the Theseus rocket, which is the precursor to the Payloads program. It carried an AAE 418 payload to nearly 8,000 feet and was recovered. The STRATOS I rocket reached 20,000 feet. The STRATOS II rocket reached 40,000 feet in spring 2025. Both were launched at Friends of Amateur Rocketry in the Mojave Desert.

The site has pages for current projects, partners, outreach, media, social media, a documentary, merchandise and donations. It lists Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube accounts. The site lists a contact email address for the team and a second Gmail address.

The copyright on the site covers the years 2015 to 2023. The site also has a Join Purdue Orbital page with an application link.