SpaceDev

For Sierra Nevada Corporation's Space Systems, seeSierra Nevada Corporation.

Sierra Nevada Corporation's Space Systems (formerly SpaceDev, Inc.)

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Aerospace&Defense
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.
Products	Small Spacecraft, Propulsion Products and Services, Space Components and Mechanisms, Structures
Revenue	USD$33 million (2006)
Number of employees	208
Website	http:// spacedev /

SpaceDev,a part of the "Space Systems Business" ofSierra Nevada Corporation,is prominent for itsspaceflightandmicrosatellitework. It designed and built components for thehybrid rocketmotors forPaul Allen'sTier OnesuborbitalSpaceShipOnespace program operated byScaled Composites.It is also developing micro- and nano-satellites, a small expendable launch vehicle, theSpaceDev Streaker,and has designed a piloted suborbital and orbital spaceship of its own, theSpaceDev Dream Chaser,in collaboration withNASA.

SpaceDev is based near San Diego inPoway, California.Its objective is to make routine commercial spaceflight possible and to help open space for all of humanity.

Previously a publicly traded company (OTCBB:SPDV), on 20 October 2008 SpaceDev officials announced that the company would be acquired bySierra Nevada Corporation,a privately owned company. The announced acquisition price was 38 million dollars. The role of SpaceDev will be melded into another of Sierra Nevada's subsidiary companies,MicroSat,to create a more completespace technologyunit.On December 16, 2008, SpaceDev announced its acquisition by Sierra Nevada Corporation had been completed.

History

SpaceDev was founded in 1997 byJim Benson,who acquired Integrated Space Systems of Southern California and then acquired a dormant publicly traded Colorado corporation through a reverse acquisition to create the publicly traded SpaceDev. For a while, SpaceDev also owned UK-basedSpace Innovations Limited.In August 1998 SpaceDev acquired all patents, intellectual property, test results, and documents that had been produced by the out of businessAmerican Rocket Company(AMROC).

On August 6, 1998, theUnited States Securities and Exchange Commissionfiled 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.

The company's first big project was to be theNear Earth Asteroid Prospector,or NEAP, a small innovative commercial 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 success would come a little closer to home, in the form ofCHIPSat[1],theCosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometermicrosatellite. SpaceDev built and conducted early orbit operations of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) microsat, the first to use only the Internet for its communications, for University of California at Berkeley under NASA'sUniversity 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 helpingPaul Allenwin the $10 millionAnsari X Prize.

On October 26, 2005, SpaceDev announced that the Starsys Research Corporation ofBoulder, Colorado,would merge with SpaceDev, which would provide SpaceDev with additional expertise and experience withmicrosatellitetechnologies.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 newspace tourismventure, TheBenson Space Company(BSC). BSC was expected to be one of SpaceDev's largest customers, purchasing multipleDream Chaserspaceships for use in personal spaceflight.However BSC was dissolved following the death of Jim Benson on October 10, 2008, due to a brain tumor.

Dream Chaser

Main article:SpaceDev Dream Chaser

On November 16, 2005, SpaceDev announceditsDream Chaserconcept for a four-passengersub-orbitaland a six-passengerorbitalvehicle, both based on NASA's HL-20 "Personnel Launch System" or "Space Taxi". SpaceDev's suborbital Dream Chaser will use internalhybrid rocketmotors 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 theAmerican Rocket Company.

On May 5, 2006, SpaceDev announced it was selected as a finalist in NASA's $500 millionCommercial Orbital Transportation Services(COTS) demonstration program.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.

On December 18, 2006, SpaceDev announced that it has been awarded a $330,000 Phase I study contract fromBenson Space Companyto further theSpaceDev Dream Chaserspaceship program. The study will contribute to the ongoing development of the spaceship and will result in space vehicle and rocket motor designs ready for Phase II vehicle fabrication and testing. TheSpaceDev Dream Chaserspaceship 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 announcedthat it had finalized a Memorandum of Understanding withUnited Launch Allianceon exploring the potential of launching theSpaceDev Dream Chaserspaceship using anAtlas V431, (having a four-meter diameter fairing, three solid rocket boosters, and a single Centaur engine in the second stage). Destinations could include theInternational Space Station(ISS) and other commercial orbital destinations as well as for commercial orbital space tourism flights.

On February 1, 2010, NASA announced a $20 million award to Sierra Nevada, to go toward development of theSpaceDev Dream Chaser,which could be ready for launch by 2014 on United Launch Alliance'sAtlas Vrocket, according to Mark Sirangelo, corporate vice president for Sierra Nevada's space systems division.

On August 3, 2012, NASA announced new agreements with the Sierra Nevada Corporation and two other companies to design and develop the next generation of U.S. human spaceflight capabilities, enabling a launch of astronauts from U.S. soil in the next five years. Advances made by these companies under newly signed Space Act Agreements through the agency's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) initiative are intended to ultimately lead to the availability of commercial human spaceflight services for government and commercial customers. As part of this agreement, Sierra Nevada Corporation was awarded $212.5 million, ostensibly to continue development and testing of itsDream Chaserspacecraft.

Trailblazer

Main article:Trailblazer (satellite)

SpaceDev manufactured the Trailblazer satellite selected by theOperationally Responsive Space Officefor its Jumpstart mission. Trailblazer was amicrosatellitedeveloped under aMissile Defense Agencycontract. After being launched Trailblazer would have collected image data and communicated with aground station.

Trailblazer was the primary payload for the third attempted flight of aFalcon 1launch vehicle. The launch was attempted on August 3, 2008, and ended in failure, with loss of both vehicle and payload.

TrailBlazer was researched, designed, assembled, tested and packed for shipping almost entirely at the Poway SpaceDev location. With a team of about 25 employees working around the clock, the satellite was assembled and ready for launch in just under 4 months, thus meeting their advanced deadline, winning their opportunity for launch and as far as anyone else is able to substantiate, now holds the record for assembly of a launched spacecraft.

Streaker

Main article:Streaker (rocket)

The Streaker was a family of rockets conceptualized by SpaceDev with the goal of a low-cost, low complexity launch vehicle.Planned to first launch in 2007-8, it has more likely then not been abandoned by the company as little to no information is available.

References

SpaceDev Dream ChaserFeb 21, 2011

External links

• SpaceDev web site