List of private spaceflight companies

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This page is a list of non-governmental entities that currently offer – or are planning to offer – equipment and services geared towards spaceflight, both robotic and human spaceflight.

List of abbreviations used in this article

LEO: Low Earth orbit
GTO: Geostationary transfer orbit
VTOL: Vertical take-off and landing
SSTO: Single-stage-to-orbit
TSTO: Two-stage-to-orbit
SSTSO: Single-stage-to-sub-orbit

Contents

Manufacturers of space vehicles [edit]

Crew and cargo transport vehicles [edit]

See also: Ansari X Prize#Contestants and List of manned spacecraft#Commercial
Company name Craft name Craft type Launcher
name		 Launcher
type		 Maximum
reach		 Passenger
capacity		 Craft status Notes
United States AERA Altairis rocket/spacecraft self-powered self-powered sub-orbit 7 testing (2013) First flight planned for mid-2014[1]
Romania ARCA Haas 2b capsule Haas 2b rocket sub-orbit 2 development [2]
Romania ARCA Super Haas capsule Super Haas rocket orbit 2 development [3]
United States Armadillo Aerospace Black Armadillo rocket self-powered self-powered sub-orbit 1-3 testing [4]
United States Bigelow Aerospace and Boeing CST-100 capsule Atlas V[5] rocket LEO 7 testing First use is planned for 2015[6]
United States Bigelow Aerospace and Lockheed Martin Orion Lite capsule Falcon 9 rocket LEO 6-7 cancelled [7]
United States Blue Origin New Shepard rocket self-powered (SSTSO) self-powered (SSTSO) sub-orbit 3 testing [8]
Denmark Copenhagen Suborbitals Tycho Brahe rocket self-powered self-powered sub-orbit 1 testing [9]
Denmark Copenhagen Suborbitals Tycho Deep Space I and II capsule - rocket LEO 1 development [9]
FranceEuropean UnionEADS Astrium unnamed craft spaceplane self-powered (SSTSO) self-powered (SSTSO) sub-orbit 4 development [10]
Isle of ManExcalibur Almaz TKS derivative capsule multiple rocket LEO 3 development [11][12]
United States Interorbital Systems Solaris X capsule self-powered (SSTSO) self-powered (SSTSO) sub-orbit 6 cancelled [13]
United States Interorbital Systems Crew Module capsule Neptune TSAAHTO rocket lunar orbit 6 development [14]
Japan Japanese Rocket Society Kankoh-maru rocket self-powered (SSTO) self-powered (SSTO) LEO 50 proposed Sponsors needed[15]
United StatesOrbital Sciences Corp. Cygnus capsule Antares (rocket) rocket LEO - testing First use planned for June 2013[16]
United StatesOrbital Sciences Corp. Prometheus spaceplane Atlas V rocket LEO 4 development [17]
United StatesPlanetSpace Canadian Arrow rocket self-powered self-powered sub-orbit 3 testing
United StatesPlanetSpace Silver Dart spaceplane Canadian Arrow rocket LEO 8 development [18]
Reaction Engines Ltd. HOTOL spaceplane self-powered (SSTO) self-powered (SSTO) LEO - cancelled [19][full citation needed]
Reaction Engines Ltd. HOTOL 2 spaceplane An 225 airplane LEO - proposed [20]
Reaction Engines Ltd. Skylon spaceplane self-powered (SSTO) self-powered (SSTO) LEO 5-20 development [20]
Rocketplane Kistler K-1 rocket self-powered (TSTO) self-powered (TSTO) LEO - cancelled [21][full citation needed]
Rocketplane Kistler Rocketplane XP spaceplane self-powered (SSTSO) self-powered (SSTSO) sub-orbit 6 cancelled [22][full citation needed]
Rotary Rocket Roton rocket self-powered (SSTO) self-powered (SSTO) LEO 2 cancelled [23]
Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne spaceplane WhiteKnightOne airplane sub-orbit 2 retired (3/3) [24]
United KingdomUnited StatesScaled Composites and Virgin Galactic
(The Spaceship Company)		 SpaceShipTwo spaceplane WhiteKnightTwo airplane sub-orbit 8 testing [25]
United KingdomUnited StatesScaled Composites and Virgin Galactic
(The Spaceship Company)		 SpaceShipThree spaceplane WhiteKnightTwo airplane LEO (or suborbital passenger-delivery)  ? proposed [26]
Space Adventures and Myasishchev Design Bureau Explorer (Cosmopolis XXI, C-21) spaceplane M-55X airplane sub-orbit 5 development [27]
Space Transport Corp. Rubicon I rocket self-powered (SSTSO) self-powered (SSTSO) sub-orbit 3 cancelled [28]
SpaceDev Dream Chaser spaceplane Atlas V rocket LEO 7 testing [29]
United States SpaceX Dragon capsule Falcon 9 rocket LEO 7 operational (3/3) 3 spacecraft have been launched into orbit and returned to earth[30]
Starchaser Industries NOVA capsule Starchaser 4 rocket sub-orbit - testing [31]
Starchaser Industries Thunderstar capsule Starchaser 5 rocket sub-orbit 3 development [32]
Starchaser Industries Thunderbird capsule Starchaser 5 rocket sub-orbit 6 development [32]
Truax Engineering, Inc. X-3 Volksrocket capsule Private Enterprise rocket sub-orbit 1 cancelled[citation needed]
t/Space CXV capsule QuickReach rocket LEO and lunar orbit 6 development [33]
Venturer Aerospace S-550 capsule Falcon 9 rocket LEO 6 cancelled [34]
XCOR Xerus spaceplane self-powered (SSTSO) self-powered (SSTSO) sub-orbit 2 cancelled [35]
XCOR and Space Expedition Corporation Lynx spaceplane self-powered (SSTSO) self-powered (SSTSO) sub-orbit 1 development First test flight planned for 2013.[36][37]

Space stations [edit]

Private Company name Space Craft name Space Craft type Internal
volume		 Passenger
capacity		 Craft status Ref
Bigelow Aerospace Genesis I Inflatable module 11.5 m3 (406 cu ft)[38] unmanned currently in LEO [39]
Bigelow Aerospace Genesis II Inflatable module 11.5 m3 (406 cu ft)[40] unmanned currently in LEO [41]
Bigelow Aerospace Galaxy Inflatable module 16.7 m3 (590 cu ft)[42] unmanned cancelled [43]
Bigelow Aerospace Sundancer Inflatable module 180 m3 (6,357 cu ft) 3 cancelled [44]
Bigelow Aerospace BA 330 Inflatable module 330 m3 (11,654 cu ft) 6 testing [45]
Bigelow Aerospace BA 2100 Inflatable module 2,100 m3 (74,161 cu ft) 16 proposed
Excalibur Almaz Almaz derivative Rigid module  ? 3 development [11][12]
Galactic Suite Ltd. Galactic Suite Rigid module  ? 6 proposed [46]
Orbital Technologies/RSC Energia Orbital Technologies Commercial Space Station Rigid Module The first module CSS will be volume about 20 m³. 7 development [47]

Launch vehicles [edit]

Further information: List of orbital launch systems
Company name Launcher
name		 Launcher
type		 No. of
stages		 Maximum
reach		 Launcher
status		 Maiden
flight		 Ref
AirLaunch LLC QuickReach rocket 2 LEO development  ? [48]
ARCA Haas 2b small rocket 1 suborbit development  ? [2]
ARCA Super Haas medium rocket 2 LEO development  ? [3]
Beal Aerospace BA-2 medium rocket 3 GTO cancelled  ? [49]
Canadian Arrow Canadian Arrow rocket 2 LEO testing  ? [citation needed]
DIRECT Leviathan-140 rocket 2 GTO development  ? [50]
Galaxy Express GX medium rocket 2 SSO cancelled  ? [51]
Interorbital Systems Sea Star TSAAHTO light rocket 2½ LEO development  ? [52]
Interorbital Systems Neptune 30 light rocket multi LEO proposed  ? [14]
Interorbital Systems Neptune 1000 medium rocket multi lunar orbit proposed  ? [14]
Interorbital Systems Neptune TSAAHTO heavy rocket 2½ lunar orbit proposed  ? [14]
Lockheed Martin VentureStar medium rocket 1 LEO cancelled  ? [53]
Orbital Sciences Corp. Taurus I light rocket 4 LEO operational (6/9) 1989 [54]
Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares medium rocket 3 LEO development 2012 (planned)  ?
Orbital Transport & Raketen AG OTRAG medium rocket variable LEO retired 1977 [citation needed]
Rocket Lab ATEA-1 light rocket 2 suborbit operational (1/1) 2009 [55][56]
Scorpius Space Launch Company
(Spin-off of Microcosm)		 SR-M light rocket 1 suborbit operational  ? [57]
Scorpius Space Launch Company
(Spin-off of Microcosm)		 Sprite light rocket - - testing  ? [57]
Scorpius Space Launch Company
(Spin-off of Microcosm)		 Liberty light rocket - - development  ? [57]
Scorpius Space Launch Company
(Spin-off of Microcosm)		 Exodus medium rocket - - development  ? [57]
Scorpius Space Launch Company
(Spin-off of Microcosm)		 Space Freighter medium rocket - - proposed  ? [57]
Space Services Inc. of America Percheron light rocket 1 suborbit cancelled  ? [58]
Space Services Inc. of America Conestoga 1620 medium rocket 4 LEO cancelled  ? [58]
Space Transport Corp. Spartan light rocket 3 suborbit cancelled  ?
SpaceX Falcon 1 light rocket 2 LEO retired (2/5) 2008 [59]
SpaceX Falcon 1e light rocket 2 LEO testing 2011 (planned) [59]
SpaceX Falcon 5 medium rocket 2 GTO cancelled  ? [60]
SpaceX Falcon 9 medium rocket 2 GTO operational (4/4) 2010 [61]
SpaceX Falcon Heavy heavy rocket 2+boosters lunar orbit development 2013 (planned) [61]
Texas Spacelines Inc / TSI. Sol Cazador light rocket 7 HEO/lunar/escape development  ? [62]
Ventions VR-1 Nanosat Launch Vehicle (NLV) development 2012 [63]

Landers, rovers and probes [edit]

See also: Google Lunar X Prize#Competitors
Company name Craft name Craft type Craft status Ref
Armadillo Aerospace unnamed craft rocket module testing [64]
BlastOff! Corporation Lunar 1 rover cancelled [65]
Odyssey Moon MoonOne (M-1) rover development [66]
Astrobotic Technology Artemis Lander lander development [67]
Astrobotic Technology Red Rover rover development [68]
Team Italia rover development [69]
Micro Space development [70]
Next Giant Leap development [71]
Team FREDNET development [72]
TransOrbital TrailBlazer lunar orbiter cancelled [73]
ARCASPACE ELE lunar orbiter development [74]
Lunatrex development [75]
Chandah development [76]
Advaeros development [77]
STELLAR development [78]
JURBAN development [79]
Omega Envoy development [80]
Independence-X development [81]
SYNERGY MOON development [82]
Euroluna ROMIT development [83]
Team Selene LuRoCa 1 rocket car development [84]
SCSG cancelled [85]
Quantum3 cancelled [86]
Puli Space Technologies Puli rover fundraising [87]
Golden Spike Company Moon lander

Research craft and tech demonstrators [edit]

Further information: List of sounding rockets
Company name Craft name Craft purpose Craft status Ref
ARCA Demonstrator 2b demonstrate reusable monopropellant engine retired
Armadillo Aerospace Quad demonstrate VTOL operational
Blue Origin Goddard demonstrate VTOL operational
Interorbital Systems Neutrino systems testing operational
Interorbital Systems Tachyon systems testing operational [88]
Lockheed Martin X-33 demonstrate SSTO cancelled
Masten Space Systems XA-0.1 demonstrate VTOL retired
Masten Space Systems XA-0.1B Lunar Lander Challenge Level 1 operational
Masten Space Systems XA-0.1E Lunar Lander Challenge Level 2, commercial precursor flights operational
Masten Space Systems XA-0.1E2 commercial flights development
McDonnell Douglas DC-X demonstrate VTOL retired (11 test flights)
Rotary Rocket Roton ATV demonstrate VTOL retired (3 test flights)
Space Services Inc. Conestoga I systems testing retired (1 test) [58]
SpaceX Grasshopper demonstrate VTOL testing [89]
Swedish Space Corp. Maxus payload to 700 km operational
Swedish Space Corp. Maser payload to 300 km operational
UP Aerospace SpaceLoft XL payload to 140 km operational [90]

Space mining [edit]

Company name Body to be mined Mining craft Mining status Ref
Shackleton Energy Company Moon Architecture Architecture
Moon Express Moon Unknown Unknown
Planetary Resources Near-Earth asteroids Arkyd Series 100, 200, 300 development [91]
Deep Space Industries Near-Earth asteroids press conference
Stott Space Inc. Near-Earth asteroids fundraising [92]
Question book-new.svg
 This article relies on references to primary sources. Please add references to secondary or tertiary sources. (April 2013)

Space manufacturing [edit]

Company name Products Manufacturing craft status Ref
Shackleton Energy Company propellant, space infrastructure, Propellant depot
Deep Space Industries propellant, communications platforms, space solar power satellites

Space Colonisation [edit]

Company name Colony location Status Ref
Mars One Mars Fundraising and assessing astronaut applications [93]

Propulsion manufacturers [edit]

Company name Engine Engine type Applications Ref
Ad Astra Rocket Company VASIMR magnetoplasma may be used for future Mars missions[citation needed]
AE Aerospace HIRE[94][95] hybrid ion rocket
AE Aerospace Scearamjet[96][full citation needed] Electric Scramjet
American Rocket Company hybrid rocket The company became insolvent and was shut down in May 1996. Its lineage is part of SpaceShipOne.
ARCA Executor (rocket engine) Liquid Oxygen/RP-1 IAR 111, Haas 2, Haas 2b, Super Haas
The Elwing Company Electrodeless Plasma Thruster Electric Propulsion may be used for future explorations missions[97][full citation needed]
Firestar Technologies[98]
Reaction Engines Ltd. SABRE precooled air-breathing rocket planned to be used in Skylon [99]
Sierra Nevada Corporation RocketMotorTwo hybrid rocket SpaceShipTwo
SpaceDev hybrid rocket SpaceShipOne[citation needed]
SpaceX Kestrel (rocket engine) Liquid Oxygen/RP-1 Falcon 1 second stage
SpaceX Merlin (rocket engine) Liquid Oxygen/RP-1 Falcon 1,[100] Falcon 9,[101] Falcon 9 Heavy first stage[citation needed]
SpaceX Merlin Vacuum Liquid Oxygen/RP-1 Falcon 9, Falcon 9 Heavy second stage[citation needed]
SpaceX Raptor (rocket stage) Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Hydrogen As of July 2009, some preliminary concept work was being done.[102]

Satellite launchers [edit]

Spaceliner companies [edit]

Company name Contracts for Craft utilised Status
Benson Space Company SpaceDev Dream Chaser waiting for hardware[citation needed]
MirCorp none Soyuz TM, Progress M1 and Mir defunct, Mir deorbited
Space Adventures none Soyuz and the ISS active (6 tourists sent)
RocketShip Tours XCOR Lynx rocketplane waiting for hardware
Virgin Galactic Scaled Composites SpaceShipTwo waiting for hardware

Spacecraft component developers and manufacturers [edit]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ AERA Space Corporation AERA Space Corporation
  2. ^ a b Haas2b specifications ARCA
  3. ^ a b Super haas Specifications ARCA
  4. ^ Armadillo Aerospace Armadillo Aerospace
  5. ^ "Boeing Selects Atlas V Rocket for Initial Commercial Crew Launches". 2011-08-04. Retrieved 2011=10=29. 
  6. ^ Boeing: Boeing CST-100 Spacecraft to Provide Commercial Crew Transportation Services
  7. ^ Klamper, Amy (2009-08-14). "Company pitches 'lite' spaceship to NASA : Stripped down version of NASA's future spaceship could be ready 2013". Msnbc.com. Retrieved 2009-09-07. 
  8. ^ Blue's Rocket Clues (MSNBC's Cosmic Log, June 24, 2006)
  9. ^ a b Copenhagen Suborbitals Copenhagen Suborbitals
  10. ^ Spaceplane – Rocketing into the future EADS-Astrium
  11. ^ a b Spaceflight Now | Breaking News | Beating swords into plough shares with Soviet Almaz
  12. ^ a b Excalibur Almaz to Pioneer Private Orbital Manned Space Flight In cooperation with NPOM of Russia | OnOrbit
  13. ^ Space racers set sights on orbital frontier MSNBC
  14. ^ a b c d Interorbital Systems Neptune Interorbital Systems
  15. ^ 準軌道宇宙旅行 宇宙丸プロジェクト Kankoh-maru
  16. ^ http://spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
  17. ^ Orbital’s Cygnus debut mission to the ISS outlined
  18. ^ Space tourism company still aiming for space station New Scientist
  19. ^ BAe Hotol Cutaway - Pictures & Photos on FlightGlobal Airspace
  20. ^ a b http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/skylon_overview.html
  21. ^ NASA Gives Rocketplane Kistler Termination Notice | Space.com
  22. ^ Rocketplane XP spec and description Rocketplane.com
  23. ^ Roton Encyclopedia Astronautica
  24. ^ SpaceShipOne Makes Historiy With First Private Spaceflight Space.com
  25. ^ Virgin Galactic in Space Ship Three talks New York Times
  26. ^ Entrepreneur Unveils New Tourist Spacecraft Your Industry News
  27. ^ New group to Develop Passenger Spacecraft MSNBC
  28. ^ http://www.seattlepi.com/local/200644_forks22.html.  Missing or empty |title= (help)[dead link]
  29. ^ Dream Chaser begins test flights SEN TV LIMITED
  30. ^ Space Exploration Technologies Corporation - Dragon
  31. ^ NOVA Armadillo Aerospace NOVA
  32. ^ a b Industries Starchaser Industries
  33. ^ NASA - Taking the Vision to the Next Step
  34. ^ Venturer Aerospace pursues NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services contract
  35. ^ XCOR Aerospace Unveils Rocket-Powered Lynx Vehicle Design FlightGlobal
  36. ^ Hindman, Nate C. (23 October 2012) XCOR Lynx: Supersonic Plane To Fly Between NYC And Tokyo In 90 Minutes The Huffington Post, Retrieved 19 February 2013
  37. ^ "XCOR Unveils New Suborbital Rocketship". SPACE.com. 
  38. ^ Untitled Document
  39. ^ Untitled Document
  40. ^ Untitled Document
  41. ^ Untitled Document
  42. ^ WebCite query result
  43. ^ Knapp, George (2007-08-17). "I-Team: Bigelow Aerospace Makes Giant Leap Towards Commercial Space Travel". Las Vegas Now. Retrieved 2007-08-19. 
  44. ^ "Bigelow Aerospace Expediting BA 330 Development". BigelowAerospace.com. July 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2011. 
  45. ^ The Five-Billion-Star Hotel, 1 Mar 2005
  46. ^ Staff (2007-08-10). "Spanish venture aims to build space hotel". MSNBC.com. Retrieved 2009-03-04. 
  47. ^ Malik, Tariq (2010-09-29). "World's First Commercial Space Station Planned in Russia". space.com. Retrieved 2010-09-29. 
  48. ^ New Satellite Lift Tech Studied National Space Symposium 31-MAR-2009
  49. ^ Man With a Mission D Magazine
  50. ^ Leviathan-140 Product Information DIRECT Launcher 15-AUG-2011
  51. ^ "IHI to liquidate GX rocket venture after govt pullout". iStock Analyst. 2010-01-16. Retrieved 2010-04-01. 
  52. ^ Interorbital Systems Sea Star Interorbital Systems
  53. ^ X-33/VentureStar – What really happened | NASASpaceFlight.com
  54. ^ Taurus
  55. ^ "NZ's first space launch saved by $6 replacement part". The New Zealand Herald. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2011. 
  56. ^ http://www.rocketlab.co.nz/atea-1.html/
  57. ^ a b c d e Scorpius Space Launch Company - Products and Services
  58. ^ a b c TSE - Conestoga
  59. ^ a b Space Exploration Technologies Corporation - Falcon 1
  60. ^ Space Exploration Technologies Corporation - Press
  61. ^ a b Space Exploration Technologies Corporation - Falcon 9
  62. ^ Spaceflight
  63. ^ "Ventions, LLC to launch liquid-fueled rocket from Wallops this week". NewSpace Watch. 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2012-11-06. 
  64. ^ Armadillo Aerospace: Scaling Up for Modularized Spaceships Space.com Space News
  65. ^ Blast Off The unauthroized top-secret website of Peter H. Diamandis
  66. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  67. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  68. ^ Astrobotic reveals moon mission plans msnbc.msn.com
  69. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  70. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  71. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  72. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  73. ^ [1] BBC News: Moon opens for business
  74. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  75. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  76. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  77. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  78. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  79. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  80. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  81. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  82. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  83. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  84. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  85. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  86. ^ The Teams | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  87. ^ Team Puli | Google Lunar X PRIZE
  88. ^ Advantages of using White Fuming Nitric Acid (WFNA) as an oXidizer in rockets [lunarlander.spaceracenews.com]
  89. ^ Klotz, Irene (2011-09-27). "A rocket that lifts off — and lands — on launch pad". MSNBC. Retrieved 2011-11-23. 
  90. ^ Private rocket launches ashes of Star Trek's Scotty, astronaut to suborbital space [www.space.com]
  91. ^ "Technology". Retrieved 19 August 2012. 
  92. ^ "Technology". Retrieved 3 April 2013. 
  93. ^ http://mars-one.com/en/mission/summary-of-the-plan
  94. ^ HIRE 2009
  95. ^ Hybrid Ion Rocket Engine/AE Aerospace owner Andrew Edwards 2010
  96. ^ Scearamjet 2009
  97. ^ [2] 2010
  98. ^ Firestar
  99. ^ "The SABRE Engine". Retrieved 2010-08-10. 
  100. ^ Clark, Stephen (2008-09-28). "Sweet success at last for Falcon 1 rocket". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
  101. ^ Whitesides, Loretta Hidalgo (2007-11-12). "SpaceX Completes Development of Rocket Engine for Falcon 1 and 9". Wired Science. Retrieved 2011-01-27. 
  102. ^ "Long term SpaceX vehicle plans". HobbySpace.com. Retrieved 2009-07-13. 
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