Deep Space Industries
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Space technology, space exploration |
| Founded | January 22, 2013 |
| Founder | Rick N. Tumlinson, Daniel Faber |
| Fate | Acquired by Bradford Space |
| Successor | Bradford Space |
| Headquarters | San Jose , United States |
Key people | Bill Miller (CEO), Grant Bonin (CTO) |
| Products | Deep Space Xplorer, Comet propulsion system, Meteor thruster prototype |
Deep Space Industries (DSI) was a privately owned American enterprise operating within the space technology and exploration sector. Established by entrepreneurs such as Rick N. Tumlinson and Daniel Faber, the company concentrated on creating spacecraft technologies to facilitate access to various locations throughout the Solar System for both private enterprises and governmental bodies. Based in San Jose, California, DSI sought to reduce expenses associated with deep space missions by developing innovative solutions like the Deep Space Xplorer and Comet systems. On January 1, 2019, Bradford Space acquired DSI, representing a strategic merger within the space exploration industry. Leadership included CEO Bill Miller and CTO Grant Bonin, who spearheaded initiatives to strengthen DSI’s position in the nascent asteroid mining and extraterrestrial resource sectors.
History
DSI was officially introduced on January 22, 2013. Following three and a half years dedicated to research in space resource utilization, the company secured venture capital funding in late 2015 aimed at advancing propulsion technologies and spacecraft capable of autonomous deep space operations starting from low Earth orbit (LEO).
In 2013, David Gump served as CEO; his background included roles at Transformational Space Corporation and Astrobotic Technology. Rick N. Tumlinson, chairman and founder of the Space Frontier Foundation, provided strategic guidance. Daniel Faber assumed the CEO role in December 2014, succeeded by Bill Miller—a specialist in startup growth—in January 2017.
The acquisition by Bradford Space, a producer of spaceflight components and systems, was completed in 2019.
Spacecraft and technologies
By mid-2018, Deep Space Industries concentrated on developing technologies that would lower costs for missions targeting high Earth orbits as well as broader deep space markets.
The Xplorer spacecraft was conceptualized with integrated propulsion designed to travel from LEO to geostationary orbit (GEO) or beyond. Its mission profile included exploration tasks and high delta-V maneuvers involving near-Earth asteroids and planetary orbits. The design intended to transport payloads around 10 kilograms while achieving approximately 5 km/s delta-V and supported deployment via various commercial rideshare opportunities.
Meteor represented a prototype rocket thruster utilizing non-toxic propellants that could be synthesized from resources found in space, intended as the propulsion unit for Xplorer.
The Comet system employed water-based electrothermal propulsion aimed at orbit raising, extending satellite operational life, and controlled de-orbiting. This scalable technology suited platforms ranging from CubeSats to microsatellites, offering adaptable integration options. Customers included HawkEye 360, Astro Digital, and Capella Space. Production remains ongoing under Bradford Space’s management in Luxembourg.
Criticism
DSI’s emergence attracted both commendation and doubts. Certain experts questioned the practicality of economically viable asteroid mining due to terrestrial market competition and the substantial costs involved in returning extracted minerals to Earth. DSI responded by emphasizing that most mined resources—chiefly water—would be utilized directly in space operations, thereby lowering fuel expenses linked to Earth’s gravitational well. They also highlighted potential revenue streams from servicing constellations of communications satellites estimated at $5–8 million monthly.
Concerns were raised regarding rivalry with Planetary Resources since that company had not disclosed plans for processing facilities, power generation systems, or equipment for manufacturing in orbit. Furthermore, Deep Space Industries did not publicly identify its spacecraft manufacturing collaborators for the FireFly 1.
See also
- Asteroid mining
- In situ resource utilization
- Mining the Sky
- Planetary Resources
- Shackleton Energy Company
- Space manufacturing
- Space technology
- Space trade
- Space-based economy
- SpaceDev
External links
- Press conference, January 22, 2013 – Full 103-minute recording
- Asteroid Mining Session 1, National Space Society ISDC 2013 event – June 15, 2013. DSI CEO D. Gump presents from 15:00 to 28:30, followed by a question-and-answer segment.
- Visual concept – Gallery featuring nine images