Pangea Aerospace

Pangea Aerospace is a Spanish propulsion startup developing advanced aerospike rocket engines for next-generation launch vehicles. Supported by the European Space Agency's Business Incubation Centre programme, the company is based in Barcelona, Spain, and focuses on aerospike nozzle technology as a key enabler for more efficient and lower-cost access to orbit.

Unlike conventional bell-nozzle rocket engines — which are optimized for one specific altitude — the aerospike nozzle maintains near-optimal efficiency across a wide range of altitudes, adapting to changing atmospheric pressure during ascent. This property enables higher overall vehicle performance and simplifies launch vehicle design by eliminating the need for separate vacuum-optimized upper-stage engines.

Pangea Aerospace targets the small launch vehicle market both through in-house engine development for its own vehicles and by offering propulsion technology to third-party vehicle integrators. The company's mission is to advance European propulsion capabilities and reduce the cost of space access through innovative nozzle technology.