SPACEHAB
Encyclopedia
Astrotech Corporation formerly Spacehab Inc., is an aerospace company headquartered in Austin
, Texas
which provides commercial space products and services to NASA
, the U.S. Department of Defense, international space agencies, and global commercial customers. The Company changed its name to Astrotech Corporation in 2009 to align the corporate name with the company's core business offering, Astrotech Space Operation. Astrotech Space Operations provides all support necessary for government and commercial customers to successfully process their satellite hardware for launch, including planning; construction and use of unique equipment and facilities; and spacecraft checkout, encapsulation, fueling, and transport. In its 29 year history, Astrotech has supported the processing of more than 290 spacecraft without impacting a customer’s launch schedule.
with the help and support of CSP Associates from Cambridge, MA. The team from CSP Associates included founder David W. Lippy along with his partners Brad Meslin and Marc Oderman. It was one of CSP's consultants, Dr. David Williamson who conceived of the idea to increase the cargo space on the Shuttles as the primary focus of the SpaceHab mission. Early venture capital was supplied by Al Zesiger of BEA Associates in New York City as well as Dr. Shelley Harrison also from New York. CSP Associates and its venture contacts were responsible for raising most of the early seed monies to get the company off the ground and funded.
s, have provided 22 Space Shuttle missions with supplemental ferrying and space capabilities, including eight resupply missions to the International Space Station
(ISS), and seven to the Russian space station Mir
. The inaugural flight of Spacehab’s research double module, which launched January 2003 on STS-107
, ended when the Space Shuttle Columbia
broke up during re-entry. In January 2004, Spacehab filed a formal claim against NASA for the amount of $87.7 million for the loss caused by the Columbia accident. In February 2003 Spacehab received $17.7 million from the proceeds of its commercial insurance policy, and in October 2004 NASA paid the company $8.2 million. In February 2007, Spacehab dropped all litigation against NASA.
Spacehab’s most recent hardware design is its permanently deployable Integrated Cargo Carrier
(ICC), known as the External Stowage Platform
(ESP-2). The ESP-2 is currently attached to the International Space Station’s airlock, providing the only permanent, commercial "spare parts" facility for the ISS crew. Another Spacehab ESP, the ESP-3, was deployed during Space Shuttle mission STS-118
, on August 8, 2007. Throughout its more than 20 year history, Spacehab has contracted over $
1 billion dollars in total sales.
Astrotech also provides both the government and commercial space markets with satellite processing services through its Astrotech Space Operations (ASO) subsidiary located in Titusville, Florida
, three miles (5 km) from the Kennedy Space Center
. It has more than 150000 square feet (13,935.5 m²) of clean room processing space, and services payloads, or satellites, for Lockheed Martin
’s Atlas
, Boeing
’s Delta
and Orbital Sciences’ Taurus
and Pegasus
launch vehicles. Astrotech owns and operates processing facilities located on Vandenberg Air Force Base
at the Western Range in California
. New construction, adding 5-meter fairing capabilities begins in 2007. Also in California, ASO provides payload processing and facilities management support for the ocean-going Sea Launch
program at the Home Port Facilities in Long Beach. To date, Astrotech has processed more than 290 satellites, accommodating the industry’s largest five-meter class satellites and payload fairings.
spacecraft designed to deliver cargo to, and return cargo from, the International Space Station
. The project was later shelved.
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
which provides commercial space products and services to NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, the U.S. Department of Defense, international space agencies, and global commercial customers. The Company changed its name to Astrotech Corporation in 2009 to align the corporate name with the company's core business offering, Astrotech Space Operation. Astrotech Space Operations provides all support necessary for government and commercial customers to successfully process their satellite hardware for launch, including planning; construction and use of unique equipment and facilities; and spacecraft checkout, encapsulation, fueling, and transport. In its 29 year history, Astrotech has supported the processing of more than 290 spacecraft without impacting a customer’s launch schedule.
History
The company was founded by Bob CitronBob Citron
Bob Citron is an entrepreneur and aerospace engineer who was born in Brooklyn, New York and educated at the University of California and Northrop University . Citron helped establish and manage the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Moonwatch and Precision Optical Satellite Tracking Programs ...
with the help and support of CSP Associates from Cambridge, MA. The team from CSP Associates included founder David W. Lippy along with his partners Brad Meslin and Marc Oderman. It was one of CSP's consultants, Dr. David Williamson who conceived of the idea to increase the cargo space on the Shuttles as the primary focus of the SpaceHab mission. Early venture capital was supplied by Al Zesiger of BEA Associates in New York City as well as Dr. Shelley Harrison also from New York. CSP Associates and its venture contacts were responsible for raising most of the early seed monies to get the company off the ground and funded.
SpaceHab
Since its inception in 1984, Spacehab modules and integrated cargo carriers (ICC), which fly nestled inside the cargo bay of the Space ShuttleSpace Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
s, have provided 22 Space Shuttle missions with supplemental ferrying and space capabilities, including eight resupply missions to the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
(ISS), and seven to the Russian space station Mir
Mir
Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the...
. The inaugural flight of Spacehab’s research double module, which launched January 2003 on STS-107
STS-107
-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter Liftoff: **Orbiter Landing: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 39.0°*Period: 90.1 min- Insignia :...
, ended when the Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
broke up during re-entry. In January 2004, Spacehab filed a formal claim against NASA for the amount of $87.7 million for the loss caused by the Columbia accident. In February 2003 Spacehab received $17.7 million from the proceeds of its commercial insurance policy, and in October 2004 NASA paid the company $8.2 million. In February 2007, Spacehab dropped all litigation against NASA.
Spacehab’s most recent hardware design is its permanently deployable Integrated Cargo Carrier
Integrated cargo carrier
Integrated Cargo Carriers were unpressurized flat bed pallet and keel yoke assemblies carried in the Space Shuttle payload bay, but were never removed during flight. Note that External Stowage Platforms 1 thru 3 and ExPRESS Logistics Carriers 1 thru 4 were of similar construction but were intended...
(ICC), known as the External Stowage Platform
External Stowage Platform
External Stowage Platforms are key components of the International Space Station . Each ESP is an external pallet that can hold spare parts, also known as Orbital Replacement Units , for the space station. As a platform it is not pressurized, but does require electricity to power the heaters of...
(ESP-2). The ESP-2 is currently attached to the International Space Station’s airlock, providing the only permanent, commercial "spare parts" facility for the ISS crew. Another Spacehab ESP, the ESP-3, was deployed during Space Shuttle mission STS-118
STS-118
- Crew notes :Astronaut Clayton Anderson originally was slated to be launched to the ISS on this mission, but was moved to STS-117. His replacement was Alvin Drew....
, on August 8, 2007. Throughout its more than 20 year history, Spacehab has contracted over $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1 billion dollars in total sales.
Space Operations
Titusville, Florida
Titusville is a city in Brevard County, Florida in the United States. It is the county seat of Brevard County. Nicknamed Space City, USA, Titusville is on the Indian River, west of Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center and south-southwest of the Canaveral National Seashore...
, three miles (5 km) from the Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
. It has more than 150000 square feet (13,935.5 m²) of clean room processing space, and services payloads, or satellites, for Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
’s Atlas
Atlas (rocket family)
Atlas is a family of U.S. space launch vehicles. The original Atlas missile was designed in the late 1950s and produced by the Convair Division of General Dynamics, to be used as an intercontinental ballistic missile...
, Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
’s Delta
Delta rocket
Delta is a versatile family of expendable launch systems that has provided space launch capability in the United States since 1960. There have been more than 300 Delta rockets launched, with a 95 percent success rate. Two Delta launch systems – Delta II and Delta IV – are in active use...
and Orbital Sciences’ Taurus
Taurus rocket
Taurus is a four stage, solid fuel launch vehicle built in the United States by Orbital Sciences Corporation. It is based on the air-launched Pegasus rocket from the same manufacturer. The Taurus rocket is able to carry a payload of around 1,350 kg into a low Earth orbit. First launched in 1994,...
and Pegasus
Pegasus rocket
The Pegasus rocket is a winged space launch vehicle capable of carrying small, unmanned payloads into low Earth orbit. It is air-launched, as part of an expendable launch system developed by Orbital Sciences Corporation . Three main stages burning solid propellant provide the thrust...
launch vehicles. Astrotech owns and operates processing facilities located on Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command ....
at the Western Range in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. New construction, adding 5-meter fairing capabilities begins in 2007. Also in California, ASO provides payload processing and facilities management support for the ocean-going Sea Launch
Sea Launch
Sea Launch is a spacecraft launch service that uses a mobile sea platform for equatorial launches of commercial payloads on specialized Zenit 3SL rockets...
program at the Home Port Facilities in Long Beach. To date, Astrotech has processed more than 290 satellites, accommodating the industry’s largest five-meter class satellites and payload fairings.
ARCTUS
On December 10, 2007, Spacehab released details about its upcoming ARCTUSARCTUS
ARCTUS was a proposed design by Astrotech Corporation for a robotic spacecraft that would deliver cargo to the International Space Station. ARCTUS was planned to be launched by an Atlas V rocket...
spacecraft designed to deliver cargo to, and return cargo from, the International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
. The project was later shelved.