Andrews Space was founded in 1999 by
Jason Andrews and Marian Joh to be a catalyst in the commercialization, exploration and development of space. Originally named Andrews Space & Technology, the company shortened its name in 2003 to Andrews Space. Over its life the company developed many unique technologies and space transportation architectures for the US Government (
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
,
DARPA
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Originally known as the Adva ...
, others) and commercial customers. The company is now Spaceflight Systems, a subsidiary of
Spaceflight Industries, Inc.
Projects and products
Andrews Space developed a number of innovative technologies and space transportation concepts including:
*
Mini-mag Orion
* Alchemist Air Collection and Enrichment System
* Gryphon fully reusable horizontal take / horizontal landing space plane
* Peregrine small launch system
*
SHERPA
SHERPA (Securing a Hybrid Environment for Research Preservation and Access) is an organisation originally set up in 2002 to run and manage the SHERPA Project.
History
SHERPA began as an endeavour to support the establishment of a number of open ...
space tug
* Cubesat/Nanosat recovery system
Andrews Space worked for most branches of the US Government. Noteworthy efforts include:
* NASA
Space Launch Initiative
The Space Launch Initiative (SLI) was a NASA and U.S. Department of Defense joint research and technology project to determine the requirements to meet all the nation's hypersonics, space launch and space technology needs. It was also known as the ...
* NASA Space Transportation Architecture Study
* NASA Commercial Cargo Logistics
* DARPA FALCON Small Launch Vehicle
* DARPA FALCON Common Aero Vehicle
*
DARPA / USAF Reusable Booster System
* NASA Altair Lunar Lander
* NASA Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle
* US Army Kestrel Eye Program
From 2008 to 2012 Andrews Space developed a series of
cubesat
A CubeSat is a class of small satellite with a form factor of cubes. CubeSats have a mass of no more than per unit,, url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5418c831e4b0fa4ecac1bacd/t/5f24997b6deea10cc52bb016/1596234122437/CDS+REV14+2020-07-3 ...
and
nanosat
A small satellite, miniaturized satellite, or smallsat is a satellite of low mass and size, usually under . While all such satellites can be referred to as "small", different classifications are used to categorize them based on mass. Satellites c ...
subsystems and components including the CORTEX avionics suite, a lithium-ion battery, solar arrays and numerous spacecraft subsystems:
*, Andrews manufacturers a line of
magnetorquer
A magnetorquer or magnetic torquer (also known as a torque rod) is a satellite system for Spacecraft attitude control, attitude control, detumbling, and stabilization built from electromagnetic coils. The magnetorquer creates a magnetic dipole that ...
s used to provide
attitude control
Spacecraft attitude control is the process of controlling the orientation of a spacecraft (vehicle or satellite) with respect to an inertial frame of reference or another entity such as the celestial sphere, certain fields, and nearby objects, ...
for small
spacecraft
A spacecraft is a vehicle that is designed spaceflight, to fly and operate in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including Telecommunications, communications, Earth observation satellite, Earth observation, Weather s ...
of between in mass.
[
]
*Andrews Space developed and produced the Cargo Module Power Unit for the Orbital Cygnus spacecraft.
History
Andrews Space was founded in 1999 by Jason Andrews and Marian Joh to be a catalyst in the commercialization, exploration and development of space. Originally named Andrews Space & Technology, the company shortened its name in 2003 to Andrews Space. Over its life the company developed many unique technologies and space transportation architectures for the US Government (NASA, DARPA, others) and commercial customers. These include the Gryphon horizontal takeoff horizontal landing system using the "Alchemist" Air Collection and Enrichment System (ACES) as part of the NASA Space Launch Initiative. The Peregrine small launch vehicle was developed as part of the DARPA FALCON program and used a reusable first stage with expendable solid motor upper stages.
In 2003 Andrews Space was one of four companies selected by NASA to study commercial cargo logistics to the International Space Station.
This later lead to the NASA COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation System) program to fly cargo to the ISS commercially. Andrews Space was chosen in 2006 as one of six finalists for NASA's
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) was a NASA program to spur the development of Private spaceflight, private spacecraft and launch vehicles for deliveries to the International Space Station (ISS). Launched in 2006, COTS successful ...
(COTS) program, though they were not subsequently selected for funding the COTS R&D by NASA.
Andrews Space later supported Rocketplane Kistler's COTS effort. In 2010 and 2011 Andrews Space support Orbital's Cygnus COTS effort.
In November 2010, Andrews Space was selected by NASA for consideration for potential contract awards for
heavy lift launch vehicle
A heavy-lift launch vehicle (HLV) is an orbital launch vehicle capable of lifting payloads between (by NASA classification) or between (by Russian classification) into low Earth orbit (LEO).50t payloads" Heavy-lift launch vehicles often carry ...
system concepts, and propulsion technologies.
In 2011 Andrews Space was one of four companies selected by the US Air Force as part of its Rocket-back Booster System demonstrator program. As part of these awards the company was awarded a $250M IDIQ contract.
In 2013 Andrews Space was awarded a contract by the US Army SMDC to build the Kestrel Eye 2 small imaging spacecraft. This was the result of a pivot by Andrews Space, begun in 2008, to move into space hardware production and very small spacecraft. While the Kestrel Eye 2 program was delayed and ultimately cancelled due to funding cuts as a result of Sequestration, much of the technology would make it to orbit as part of the
BlackSky Pathfinder spacecraft, which was launched successfully in September 2016.
From 2011 to 2013 Andrews Space developed and built the Cargo Module Power Unit for Orbital's Cygnus cargo delivery spacecraft. The CMPU was responsible for supplying power and managing power distribution to powered experiments inside the Cygnus spacecraft during their trip to the
ISS. Andrews Space also licensed the magnetic torque rod design from
Sinclair Interplanetary and produced many units which were used in a range of spacecraft, including those for the BlackSky Pathfinder / Global spacecraft, the Skybox Skysat spacecraft, as well as others.
In 2015 Andrews Space was merged with
Spaceflight, Inc. and
BlackSky Global LLC and operated as Spaceflight Systems, a separate operating entity under the parent company of
Spaceflight Industries
Spaceflight Industries, Inc. is an American private aerospace company based out of Herndon, Virginia, that specializes in geospatial intelligence services. It sold its satellite rideshare business, Spaceflight, Inc., in June 2020.
Spacefli ...
.
See also
*
Reusable launch system
A reusable launch vehicle has parts that can be recovered and reflown, while carrying payloads from the surface to outer space. Rocket stages are the most common launch vehicle parts aimed for reuse. Smaller parts such as fairings, boosters ...
*
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) was a NASA program to spur the development of Private spaceflight, private spacecraft and launch vehicles for deliveries to the International Space Station (ISS). Launched in 2006, COTS successful ...
*
List of private spaceflight companies
References
External links
Video animation - Peregrine SpaceplaneVideo animation - Gryphon SpaceplaneFuture Space Transportation Study
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Aerospace companies of the United States
Companies based in Seattle