PION Labs

PION Labs develops small satellites, hybrid sounding rockets, and space electronics from São Paulo, with a focus on lowering barriers to space access in Latin America. The company targets IoT and machine-to-machine communications through a small satellite constellation designed to connect remote devices such as agricultural machinery. Its PION-BR1 PocketQube, launched via a SpaceX Falcon 9 through launch broker Alba Orbital, was the first satellite developed entirely by a private Brazilian company. PION also builds educational PocketQube kits aimed at students and teachers, and has organized the Latin American Space Challenge, a regional competition for rocket and satellite projects. Founded in 2019 by Calvin Trubiene, the company has tested hybrid-propellant sounding rockets to validate its propulsion technology.