SpaceDev
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| SpaceDev, Inc. | |
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.gif/150px-Space_dev_(logo).gif) |
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| Type | Public (OTCBB: SPDV) |
| Founded | Poway, California (1997) |
| Headquarters | Poway, California |
| Key people | Mark N. Sirangelo, CEO (Principal Executive Officer) and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Richard B. Slansky, President and CFO. (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer). Scott Tibbitts, Managing Director and Director. James S. Voss, Vice President. |
| Industry | Aerospace & Defense |
| Products | Small Spacecraft, Propulsion Products and Services, Space Components and Mechanisms, Structures |
| Revenue | USD $33 million (2006) |
| Employees | 208 |
| Website | http://www.spacedev.com/ |
SpaceDev is a publicly traded space development company in the aerospace industry, now most prominent for its spaceflight and microsatellite work. It designed and built the hybrid rocket motors for Paul Allen's Tier One suborbital SpaceShipOne space program operated by Scaled Composites. It is also developing micro- and nano-satellites, a small expendable launch vehicle, the SpaceDev Streaker, and has designed a piloted suborbital and orbital spaceship of its own, the SpaceDev Dream Chaser, in collaboration with NASA.
The company is based near San Diego in Poway, California. The company's objective is to make routine commercial spaceflight possible and to help open space for all of humanity.
The company's stock is quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board, ticker OTCBB: SPDV.
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[edit] History
SpaceDev was founded in 1997 by Jim Benson, who acquired Integrated Space Systems of Southern California and merged it with a defunct publicly traded corporate shell to create the publicly traded SpaceDev. For a while, SpaceDev also owned UK-based Space Innovations Limited.[1] In August of 1998 SpaceDev acquired all patents, intellectual property, test results, and documents that had been produced by the out of business American Rocket Company (AMROC).
On August 6, 1998 the United States Securities and Exchange Commission filed an administrative proceeding alleging securities fraud against Spacedev Inc. According to the SEC, Spacedev promotes itself extensively on the Internet. The SEC alleged that the company made false and misleading statements over the Internet and via other media in violation of U.S. securities laws in an attempt to increase its stock value. The SEC was seeking cease and desist orders against Spacedev and its chairman, James W. Benson. A settlement was reached between the SEC, Spacedev and James W. Benson. The settlement states that the SEC was founded in its allegations and SpaceDev cease and desist from committing or causing violations or future violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder; and Mr. Benson cease and desist from committing or causing violations or future violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder.[2]
The company's first big project was to be the Near Earth Asteroid Prospector, or NEAP, an innovative commercial small spacecraft mission that would have rendezvoused with and landed on a Near Earth Asteroid (NEO), conducted scientific experiments, and claimed the asteroid as private property. As it turned out however, the company's first big break would come a little closer to home, in the form of CHIPSat [1], the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer microsatellite. SpaceDev built and operated the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) microsat, the first to use only the Internet for its communications, for Berkeley under NASA's University Explorer Program (UNEX). This was followed one year later by supplying the rocket motors that propelled SpaceShipOne into the history books by creating the world's first civilian astronauts and helping Paul Allen win the $10 million Ansari X Prize.
On October 26, 2005 SpaceDev announced that Starsys Research Corporation of Boulder, Colorado would merge with SpaceDev, which would provide SpaceDev with additional expertise and experience with microsatellite technologies.[3] The acquisition of Starsys on January 31, 2006 put the number of SpaceDev employees over 200, located in three states. The Starsys division is being groomed to become a center of space robotics for SpaceDev. Over 18 years Starsys developed and delivered 2,000 space mechanisms that have flown on over 200 missions, all successfully. SpaceDev has most or all of the moving parts on Mars at this time, had mechanisms on Deep Impact, is supplying the separation system and docking mechanism for the soon to be launched Orbital Express, and has mechanisms on the way to Pluto.
On September 28, 2006, SpaceDev announced that founder and CEO Jim Benson was stepping down to start a new space tourism venture, Benson Space Company (BSC). BSC expects to be one of SpaceDev's largest customers, purchasing multiple Dream Chaser spaceships and safe hybrid rocket motors for use in personal spaceflight.[4]
[edit] Dream Chaser
On November 16, 2005 SpaceDev announced [5] its Dream Chaser concept for a four passenger sub-orbital and a six passenger orbital vehicle, both based on NASA's HL-20 "Personnel Launch System" or "Space Taxi" which was reverse engineered from the successful orbital Soviet BOR-4. SpaceDev's suborbital Dream Chaser will use internal hybrid rocket motors similar to those SpaceDev developed for Paul Allen's SpaceShipOne, while the orbital version will use the internal motors plus larger external hybrid motors. SpaceDev's hybrid rocket technology was pioneered by the American Rocket Company, or AmRoc.
On May 5, 2006, SpaceDev announced it was selected as a finalist in NASA's $500 million Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration program.[6] SpaceDev has been working with NASA Ames to design a modern version of the NASA HL-20 Personnel Launch System, called the SpaceDev Dream Chaser. However, on August 18, 2006 it was revealed that SpaceDev did not win the contract.[7]
On December 18, 2006, SpaceDev announced that it has been awarded a $330,000 Phase I study contract from Benson Space Company to further the SpaceDev Dream Chaser spaceship program. The study will contribute to the on-going development of the spaceship and will result in space vehicle and rocket motor designs ready for Phase II vehicle fabrication and testing. The SpaceDev Dream Chaser spaceship is based on NASA’s design of the ten passenger orbital HL-20 Personnel Launch System, and will launch vertically and land horizontally in direct sight of viewers.
On April 10, 2007, SpaceDev announced[8] that it had finalized a Memorandum of Understanding with United Launch Alliance on exploring the potential of launching the SpaceDev Dream Chaser spaceship using a Atlas V 431 configuration. Destinations could include the International Space Station (ISS) and other commercial orbital destinations as well as for commercial orbital space tourism flights.
[edit] References
- ^ Space Innovations Limited Management Reacquires Company From SpaceDev. Space Ref (January 14, 2000). Retrieved on 2006-08-26.
- ^ United States Securities and Exchange Commission ruling against Spacedev. United States Securities and Exchange Commission (April 13, 1999).
- ^ SpaceDev and Starsys Sign Merger Agreement. SpaceDev (October 26, 2005).
- ^ "SpaceDev Founder Jim Benson Launches Civilian Spaceflight Venture, Benson Space Company", SpaceRef, September 28, 2006.
- ^ SpaceDev Announces SpaceDev Dream Chaser Space Transport System. SpaceDev (November 16, 2005).
- ^ SpaceDev Selected as a Finalist in NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Solicitation. SpaceDev (May 15, 2006).
- ^ Johnson, Travis (August 22, 2006). SpaceDev Loses COTS Contract Competition. Seeking Alpha.
- ^ SpaceDev and the United Launch Alliance to explore launching the Dream Chaser on an Atlas V Launch Vehicle. SpaceDev (April 10, 2007).
[edit] External links
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