Penn Aerospace Club
The University of Pennsylvania’s student community of aerospace engineers, researchers, and enthusiasts.
We serve to foster a passionate community of future aerospace engineers by providing hands-on training, rigorous educational experiences, and professional events for our members. We are dedicated to equipping our members with the knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm necessary to excel in the dynamic field of aerospace engineering.
Our club is divided into four sub-teams: High-Powered Rocketry, Balloon, Jet Engine, and Aircraft. As the primary aerospace-focused group on campus, PAC is comprised of the best aerospace talent Penn has to offer. We serve a wide audience, with over 150 members, and the club continues to grow every semester with new passionate recruits.
Fall 2025 applications open in late August.
What we offer
Experience
We provide our members with real-world engineering skills and project management experience
Community
Our members have full access to our alumni network, industry connections, and professional development events
Opportunities
We offer corporate sponsorship and alumni mentorship opportunities
Our Teams Fly High
Our High-Powered Rocketry team took 12 of their 20 members to the Spaceport America Cup in June 2024, for their first competitive launch since the club‘s reinstatement. Their rocket flew 12,489 ft and landed with no damage. As a rookie team, they performed better than around 25 schools, made friends at 10+ schools, and connected with many cool and likeminded students and professionals.
In November 2024, our High-Altitude Balloon Team launched their payload from Warwick County Park in Pottstown, PA. This was the first flight of five new engineering projects, including a custom-built payload, two solar panels, a team-developed weather prediction machine learning model, a sample drawer of plant seeds, and an expanded suite of weather sensors.
Photo: Chenyao Liu
In April 2025, Penn Jet Propulsion successfully completed a fully custom-designed axial micro-turbojet engine, achieving a theoretical thrust-to-weight ratio of 3.5. This engine is the first of its kind to be entirely developed by undergraduate students, as all major components were designed in house. A majority of parts were manufactured internally, and final assembly was conducted entirely by the student team.
As one of PAC’s newer teams, our Aircraft team has made great strides in the last few years to design and construct multiple R/C aircraft in an effort to compete in the coming AIAA Design Build Fly competition fly-off. With a fourth place ranking worldwide (of over 150 teams) on our preliminary report in our first ever year of competition, we are looking forward to great things ahead as we continue to learn and grow!
Passionate Alumni and Students
“PAC has far-and-away been my best opportunity to garner real-world engineering experience at Penn.”
“As a lifelong aviation enthusiast, PAC has given me an incredible opportunity to work with and lead alongside some of the most inspiring students, faculty, and industry leaders I have ever met.“