PION Labs

PION Labs is a Brazilian NewSpace startup company founded in 2019 in São Paulo, Brazil. The company was established with the objective of reducing barriers to space access for emerging economies, particularly Brazil.^[1][2]

PION Labs Engenharia Ltda.

Company type	Private company
Industry	Space industry
Founded	2019; 6 years ago (2019)
Headquarters	São Paulo, Brazil
Area served	Latin American
Products	Sounding rocket Satellite Electronics
Website	www.pionlabs.com.br

History

In late 2019, PION Labs conducted its first rocket test with the Quark sounding rocket, which utilized a hybrid-propellant motor. The test flight represented an early milestone in the company's research and development program.^[3]

By 2021, PION Labs had entered into a partnership with Alba Orbital, a United Kingdom–based launch broker, to obtain a rideshare opportunity on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission.^[4] The collaboration enabled the deployment of the company's flagship satellite, PION-BR1, as part of the Alba Cluster 4 mission.^[5]

In 2025, PION Labs developed the PION-BR2 - Cientistas de Alcântara, a nanosatellite designed for telecommunications experiments and technology demonstrations, in partnership with the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), and the United Nations Development Programme (PNUD). As one of the payloads for the Spaceward Operation, it is planned to be launched aboard the South Korean Innospace HANBIT-NANO launch vehicle from the Alcântara Launch Center in Maranhão.^[6]

Key Projects and Achievements

PION-BR1 Satellite

PION-BR1 was launched on 13 January 2022 aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 Transporter-3 mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It is recognized as Brazil's first satellite to be fully developed and assembled by a private company. Designed as a technology demonstrator, the satellite tested long-distance communication capabilities in low Earth orbit and provided flight-heritage data upon the completion of its mission objectives.^[7]

PESL Sounding Rocket

On 8 December 2023, PION Labs conducted the first sounding rocket launch performed entirely by a Brazilian startup with the successful suborbital flight of the PION Educational Satellite Launcher (PESL). The launch took place at the Barreira do Inferno Launch Center (CLBI)) and carried seven educational satellite payloads developed by winning teams of the Brazilian Satellite Olympiad (Olimpíada Brasileira de Satélites, OBSAT).^[8]

Educational Initiatives

The cmpany developed CubeSat and PocketQube-based educational kits designed to support STEM engagement in Brazilian schools and universities.^[9] These kits include firmware resources and assembly guides distributed through open-source repositories, enabling practical experience in satellite construction. The company also participates in outreach activities associated with programs such as OBSAT and the Latin American Space Challenge (LASC).^[10]