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The Next Generation of Space Companies
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Ad Astra Rocket
Company added
This page was updated on
July
19,
2008
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The Space Frontier Foundation's New Commercial Space Companies page, maintained by Foundation Advocate David Anderman, lists these categories of companies below:
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New Space Launch Service Companies
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AirLaunch LLC Developer of the QuickReach vehicle for affordable space lift.
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Armadillo Aerospace is a small research and development team working on computer-controlled hydrogen peroxide rocket vehicles, with an eye towards manned suborbital vehicle development in the coming years. The team currently consists of a bunch of guys, a girl, and an armadillo named Widget. Our fearless leader, John Carmack, will lead us to space and, well, outer space. Please feel free to make yourselves at home and check out our journey.
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Blue Origin is developing vehicles and technologies that, over time, will help enable an enduring human presence in space. Our initial research efforts are focused on reusable liquid propulsion systems, low cost operations, life support, abort systems and human factors. We are currently working to develop a crewed, suborbital launch system that emphasizes safety and low cost of operations.
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Rocketplane Kistler The
Rocketplane Kistler team
will offer unique commerical
space launch services,
including a significant
contribution to NASA's
Vision for Space Exploration
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SpaceX, Inc. ...is developing a family of launch vehicles intended to substantially reduce the cost of reliable access to space. The company officially began operations in June 2002 and is located in the heart of the aerospace industry in Southern California, about a mile from LAX. |
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Companies Marketing Russian/Ukrainian Launchers
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COSMOS International GmbH COSMOS is the world's most successful two stage liquid propellant space transportation system for small to medium payloads up to 1500 kg into low earth orbits. COSMOS was effective in 97.4% of its more than 740 launches.
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EUROROCKET Launch Services GmbH EUROCKOT is a joint venture company founded by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) of Germany holding 51% and Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (Khrunichev) of Russia holding 49%.
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Kosmotras Established in 1997 for development and commercial operation of the Dnepr Space Launch System based on SS-18 ICBM technology.
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SeaLaunch Co. "Sea Launch Co., LDC, the U.S.-based multi-national commercial satellite launching venture led by Boeing, continues its march toward a first lift-off in June 1998 from its unique ocean-going launch complex in June 1998." Will use Ukrainian built Zenit rockets. First test – March, 1999!
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Starsem Markets the venerable Soyuz launcher.
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Space & Zero-G Tourism and Training Companies
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Environmental Tectonics Corporation (Amex: ETC) ("ETC") has been the world leader in aeromedical training for more than thirty-five years. Our pioneering technologies have created training solutions for the most rigorous stresses encountered during high performance aircraft flight including the effects of altitude exposure, high G exposure, Spatial Disorientation, and escape from a disabled aircraft. This experience uniquely qualifies ETC to provide solutions for travel into the next frontier...space.
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Interglobal Space Lines, Inc. "This is your one-stop shop for space tourist experiences! We are currently offering weightless trips to the general public in the United States. If you don't want to experience free fall right now, feel free to check out our plans for future offerings."
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Space Adventures, Inc. "Through Space Adventures and its partners, hundreds of people have traveled past the speed of sound; thousands have ventured to the Arctic and Antarctica, and millions have experienced exotic locales around the world. Now we're ready to take you out of this world!"
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Virgin Galactic A company established by Richard Branson's Virgin Group to undertake the challenge of developing space tourism for everybody. Virgin Galactic will own and operate privately built spaceships, modeled on the history-making SpaceShipOne craft. These spaceships will allow affordable sub-orbital space tourism for the first time in our history.
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Zero Gravity Corporation is a privately held space entertainment and tourism company headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company's first product offering is commercial, Weightless Flights aboard a specially modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft. ZERO-G is the only company approved by the FAA to conduct Weightless Flights for the public. These are the same type of flights used by NASA to train their astronauts and used by Ron Howard in the filming of Apollo 13. ZERO-G's mission is to make the excitement and adventure of space accessible to the public in a safe, fun, and cost-effective fashion. |
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Infrastructure/Subsystems Companies
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Ad Astra Rocket Company:
"To revolutionize space
transportation and
exploration, through the
development and
commercialization of the
VASIMR engine and
related technologies."
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Aero Astro founded in 1988, changes the way space is used to get results right here on Earth. AeroAstro has brought satellite costs down so significantly that many applications never even considered are now practical.
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Bigelow Aerospace General Contractor providing design, engineering, and assembly of space complexes.
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California Spaceport The facility is designed as a cost-effective solution for military / government, civilian, academic and commercial needs. Located on Vandenberg Air Force Base, the Spaceport provides turnkey services for a wide variety of satellite and booster requirements.
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Ecliptic Enterprises
Corporation:
Ecliptic provides systems
for accessing and
experiencing space and other
extreme environments. We are
a space-technology firm that
produces the world's leading
brand of onboard video and
imaging systems for use with
rockets, spacecraft and
other remote platforms:
RocketCamTM. We
also provide one of the most
cost-effective systems for
getting small payloads into
space: RocketPodTM.
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Flometrics We have developed a flexible, safe, reliable, low cost rocket fuel pump which has better performance than turbopump or pressure fed systems. The fuel and oxidizer pump system is the most difficult and time consuming part of a liquid fuel launch vehicle. The Flometrics Pistonless Pump will open up new markets for launch vehicles and spacecraft by increasing the safety and performance of propulsion systems.
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Frontier Astronautics produces reliable space-grade propulsion and attitude control systems hardware for the Private Space Industry. Through innovative application of mature technologies, we produce simpler, safer, and more robust space system hardware.
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GEORING is the
initiator of an aggressive
proposal to kick-start the
On-Orbit Servicing (OOS)
industry in Europe.GEORING
has invented and is pursuing
deployment of a 5 element
OOS system to enable cheap
operations for a series of
services on orbit (existing
and future).
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Space Propulsion Systems is an aerospace company that specializes in the research and development of patent pending state-of-the-art manufacturing and chemical process technologies that are both environmentally friendly, and cost efficient.
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Tethers Unlimited is an aerospace R&D company developing long life and high strength space tether technology such as the Hoytether, the Terminator Tether, and Tether Transport Systems. A space tether is a long cable used to couple spacecraft to each other or to other masses, such as a spent booster rocket, space station, or an asteroid.
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Universal Space Network, Inc. USN is an innovative company, founded by aerospace pioneer Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr., which has built a ground network of tracking stations to provide "cost-effective" space operations and telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C) services to support "earth-orbiting" assets. The USN team consists of industry professionals with broad aerospace experience, ensuring that customers receive the highest quality technical expertise and customer service available.
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XCOR Aerospace, Inc. is a company dedicated to commercial rockets. XCOR Aerospace develops reusable rocket engines and complete rocket vehicles for private and government markets. They are currently flying the EZ-Rocket, a manned reusable rocket aircraft which has demonstrated two flights in one day. |
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Commercial Space Exploration Companies
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SpaceDev (OTCBB: SPDV) creates and sells affordable and innovative space products and solutions to government and commercial enterprises. SpaceDev products and solutions include the design, manufacture, marketing and operation of sophisticated micro and nano satellites, hybrid rocket-based orbital Maneuvering and orbital Transfer Vehicles (MoTVs) as well as safe sub-orbital and orbital hybrid rocket-based propulsion systems.
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Transformational Space Corporation Opening space to frontier settlement and development requires breakthroughs in lower costs and higher safety. The t/Space team is working toward these goals by combining the rapid-prototyping approach of its innovative aerospace partners with the in-space experience of key personnel drawn from the White House, NASA and large aerospace companies. t/Space was formed in 2004 to respond to NASA's plans to implement the President's Vision for Space Exploration. The company was one of eight winners in NASA's "Concept Exploration and Refinement" competition to advise the agency on the best architecture for Moon-Mars exploration and the best initial design for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). The effort kicked off in August 2004 with a $3 million contract that was extended in March 2005 with another $3 million. |
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More Space Launch Companies
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Beyond-Earth is
leading the way to the
commercialization of space
by providing small payload
launch capabilities at
affordable rates. The
Beyond-Earth staff is
committed to revitalizing
the American Public's
interest in Space and
conducts educational demos
and lectures at area
schools.
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E'Prime Aerospace Corporation The Eagle family of launch vehicles combines the proven technology of solid rocket manufacturing with updated state-of-the-art electronics and light weight materials. In addition, Eaglet, Eagle, S-I and S-II will be operated under cold launch conditions. Whereby, the rocket is propelled roughly 200 feet into the air, at which time, the first stage is ignited.
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Garvey Spacecraft
Corporation: a small aerospace company focusing on cost-effective
development of advanced space technologies and launch vehicle systems.
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Interorbital Systems is developing low-cost manned and unmanned orbital launch vehicles for commercial, governmental, and military applications. IOS launch vehicles can be launched from land using conventional methods or from the ocean using an ocean launch technique called 'Floating Launch'. Floating launch technology allows IOS to use the world's oceans as safe and cost-free spaceports. Interorbital Systems is currently licensed by the AST to launch from the Pacific ocean off the coast of Southern California. Future launches will take place from the Pacific waters around the Kingdom of Tonga.
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JP Aerospace A volunteer-based organization dedicated to achieving cheap access to space by building and flying VERY low cost, innovative systems.
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Kelly Space and Technology An engineering, design, and technology development company incorporated in April 1993 under the laws of the State of California for the purpose of developing a family of low cost, reusable, commercial sub-orbital and orbital launch vehicles.
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Masten Space Systems is working to create inexpensive access to space by incrementally developing a series of launch vehicles with the reusability and reliability of airplanes. The key to this approach is creating a technology base that is both scalable and flexible. We believe that vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) is the only way to get the salability and flexibility to quickly and inexpensively develop the appropriate vehicles for all phases of space flight, from the eXtreme Altitude (XA) line of sub-orbital vehicles progressing to staged orbital launch vehicles and planetary exploration vehicles.
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Orbital Expressways, Inc.,
America’s new rocket-launch
resource. Through Orbital
Expressways, low-cost space
access is now available for
civil, commercial,
scientific, government /
military, and university
customers that wish to
perform research,
experiments, and other
missions throughout and
above the Earth’s
atmosphere.
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Orion Propulsion, Inc. Whether you are searching for a partner to test your latest motor or for a company to help you research and design the next generation of propulsion systems, Orion Propulsion has the experience and knowledge to get the job done. Located just outside the "Rocket City" of Huntsville, Alabama, Orion is strategically positioned to tap the technical resources and heritage of some of America's greatest successful propulsion achievements. Steeped in areospace history yet on the forefront of space commercialization, Orion Propulsion is the perfect partner for your propulsion project.
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TGV Rockets is an innovative start-up company pioneering a unique new class of reusable, low cost, piloted sub-orbital rocket. TGV Rockets will market vehicles and services to industry, researchers, military organizations and interested individuals. We intend to dominate the high altitude and sub-orbital research operations market, providing high value to customers and investors.
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UP Aerospace is your unique choice for low-cost space access. Never before has it been so affordable to launch significant-size payloads and sophisticated experiments into space. Complete payload recovery and a wide range of tracking, telemetry, and avionics options, make UP Aerospace the perfect solution for both business and educational / collegiate opportunities. |
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Publicly Traded New Space Companies from the 1980s
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SpaceHab The company that makes the Shuttle add-on modules does a lot more these days.
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Orbital Since Orbital's founding in 1982, we have focused on one overriding objective – making space more affordable, accessible and useful to millions of people on Earth. |
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Commercial Space Information Links
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| The Space Frontier Foundation is an organization of people dedicated to opening the Space Frontier to human settlement as rapidly as possible. Our goals include protecting the Earth's fragile biosphere and creating a freer and more prosperous life for each generation by using the unlimited energy and material resources of space. Our purpose is to unleash the power of free enterprise and lead a united humanity permanently into the Solar System. |
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The High Frontier is Gerard K. O'Neill's masterpiece. This new 3rd Edition Includes an introduction by Freeman Dyson.
Click above to order The High Frontier from Amazon.com . |
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