Why Build Rockets?

We’re all about hands-on rocket development so that we can grow technically and professionally, and have fun doing it!

Technical Experience

We develop industry-like liquid propellant rockets, from the 3D-printed engine to the custom avionics. It’s no surprise our members get internships at companies like JPL, SpaceX, and Relativity.

The Team

Working in a team to develop a rocket from scratch requires more than just technical expertise. Our members develop interpersonal and project management skills you won’t get from a classroom.

Fun

At the end of the day, we’re here to have fun building rockets. For us, that means working night and day with friends to build something truly awesome!

About us

PARSEC was founded by a group of Caltech undergrads with no free-time, mountains of problem sets, and a desire to work on something more… stimulating. When one of the founders mentioned a rocketry competition, an enthusiastic team quickly formed, and we were well on our way to developing our own liquid-propellant rocket. The word spread, and a group of 5 quickly turned into a 30-person strong team.

In many ways PARSEC is run like a company. We have project managers, team leads, and responsible engineers to ensure projects get completed. But we always strive to keep the environment fun, exciting, and welcoming. Meetings are collaborative, no idea goes unchallenged, and it’s always fun to get dinners as a team. At the end of the day it’s an extracurricular, and we want to make sure we are working on rockets not because we have to, but because we want to.