Our Mission: Changing the business of space by challenging paradigms, creating new strategies, and leveraging the power of partnerships, people and technology.
Our Vision:
Unlocking the potential of space to make life better on Earth.
Sierra Nevada Corporation's (SNC) Space Systems was established in early 2009 through the merger of SNC subsidiary SpaceDev Inc., its subsidiary Starsys Research, and MicroSat Systems, Inc. SNC's Space Systems is a leading provider of small satellites, subsystems and components, propulsion systems and is at the forefront of commercial space craft. Space Systems supplies, designs and produces technologies and parts that serve a wide variety of customers such as defense, civil government and corporate. SpaceDev History: SpaceDev, Inc. was founded in 1997 with the vision of being the leader in commercial space for the New Millennium. It was believed that finding additional, practical ways to make a new and wider variety of space activities profitable would pave the way to commercial space success. The long-term plan was to build a profitable, private space program through the conception, design, development, integration and operation of innovative new space technology systems, products and services. This would allow higher value to be delivered to the customer. SpaceDev California was focused on developing responsive and low-cost small spacecraft - microsats, nanosats and maneuvering and orbital transfer vehicles (MoTV) - and safe, sub-orbital and orbital hybrid propulsion systems. SpaceDev merged with Starsys Research Corporation on January 31, 2006 to enhance their customer base, product offerings and production capability bringing together the very best of vision and experience. Starsys Research History: Starsys Research was founded in Boulder, Colorado in 1987 to bring a promising thermal actuator technology to the Space industry as an alternative to conventional explosive actuators. From this initial core technology; High Output Paraffin (HOP) thermal actuators, Starsys Research developed into a world-leading supplier of mechanical systems for spacecraft including electromechanical actuators, deployable structures and mechanical components.
In 2003 Starsys opened a Durham, North Carolina office to take advantage of a uniquely talented workforce in the area. The Durham operation has been expanded and is now SNC Space Systems, North Carolina, specializing in the design and production of electromechanical motors and actuators. MicroSat Systems History: MicroSat Systems, Inc. (MSI) was incorporated in April 2001 as a spin-off from a high technology research and development incubator, ITN Energy Systems, after ITN was awarded an Air Force Research Laboratory contract for the “Technology Satellite of the 21st Century (TechSat 21). TechSat 21 represented a revolutionary shift in satellite architecture, developing three high performance small satellites with Synthetic Aperture Radar payloads that could fly in precise formation for coherent imaging of targets on the ground. MSI’s early mission was to rapidly apply innovative technologies to reduce cost and manufacturing cycle time, while increasing product efficiency, of high performance small satellites and advanced spacecraft subsystems. MSI launched its first satellite, TacSat-2 developed for the Air Force Research Laboratory, on December 16, 2006. TacSat-2 was the first satellite launched under the Operationally Responsive Space TacSat series of experimental satellites and demonstrated a number of innovative technologies to support tactical missions. In 2007, TacSat-2 was recognized by Aviation Week and Space Technology Magazine as the Small Company Product Breakthrough Award Winner. In 2007 it also was awarded the Dr. Harold Gardiner Director's Cup from AFRL's Space Vehicles Directorate and the AFRL Commander's Cup. MicroSat continued its path of developing high performance multi-mission satellites for military customers with the award of the Demonstration and Science Experiment (DSX) satellite for AFRL and the Cooperative Orbiting Objects Program (COOP) satellite for the Missile Defense Agency. MSI realized its goal of establishing a small satellite production capability with the win of the Orbcomm Generation 2 satellite constellation. MSI was purchased by Sierra Nevada in 2008 but was maintained as an independent wholly owned subsidiary until 2009 when the Space Systems business area of Sierra Nevada was established.
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