RFS/Space
Student Aerospace & Rocketry ProgramsWhere Aerospace Systems Take Shape Before They Fly
Richmond Field Station is home to several of Berkeley's student aerospace and rocketry organizations, who design, build, and integrate flight hardware on-site under EH&S-approved safety review.
What the Space Testbed Unlocks
- Shop and lab space for hardware build-out, integration, and bench testing
- Cold-fire and static component testing only, in controlled settings approved by EH&S — RFS does not host hotfire or live propulsion testing
- Direct collaboration with Berkeley's student aerospace organizations
Who This Is For
RFS's space-domain shop access is reserved for Berkeley's registered student aerospace and rocketry organizations; there is no general shop access for outside companies or third parties. Lab space is available more broadly to faculty-sponsored researchers or approved third-party partners.
The Platform
The SPACE layer at RFS is anchored by four of Berkeley's student aerospace organizations: Space Enterprises at Berkeley, UCB STAR (Space Technologies and Rocketry), STAC (Space Technologies at California), and Aerospace SAE at Berkeley. These teams design, build, and test flight hardware on-site under EH&S-approved safety review.
How to Access Space Domain Facilities
Establish Sponsorship
Shop access is anchored through one of RFS's registered student aerospace organizations; lab space can also be arranged through a UC Berkeley faculty sponsor (PI). Requests are reviewed and approved at the site level.
Registration & Safety Review
Register equipment and any propulsion, high-power, or payload elements, and complete an EH&S safety review before build-out or testing begins. Any propulsion testing is cold-fire only, conducted in a controlled environment approved by EH&S.
Scheduling & Facility Access
Shop and lab time is coordinated on-site, availability is managed for safety and scope, and teams receive confirmed access windows.
Test & Iterate
With approval in place, integrate and test hardware on-site, iterate quickly, and capture data to refine systems ahead of flight or deployment.
Deployment & Use Cases
Where student aerospace and robotics systems move from bench testing to flight-ready hardware across payload integration, sensing, and autonomy, enabling validation ahead of flight or launch.
What's Available
Shop access for registered student aerospace teams, lab space for hardware integration and testing, cold-fire and static test review in EH&S-approved controlled settings, and direct collaboration with UC Berkeley researchers and student aerospace organizations.