The Journey Of Nansen
After the launch of our rocket Nansen, we gathered to look back on the work behind it, and to share that story with students, members of the public, and prospective sponsors.
Nansen took 80 people over two years to build, but its roots go back to the founding of Portal Space in 2020. It grew out of years of conversations, research, designing, building, testing, and collaboration. The evening brought together the people who made it happen to reflect on how the project took shape: the questions that drove it, the ideas that evolved along the way, and the many contributions that got it off the ground.
Each subsystem team shared its part of the story, and together they showed just how much it takes to make a rocket fly. We watched footage of the launch alongside the many tests that came before it, some successful and some less so, and closed with a Q&A.
The evening was a celebration of the launch, but above all a tribute to the people who made it possible.
The Story Behind Nansen
Explore the slides from the evening, tracing Nansen’s journey from the first ideas to launch.
A Closer Look at the Launch
Read our launch analysis for a detailed look at Nansen’s flight and the lessons we take into future missions.
