Deep Space Systems
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Steve Bailey |
| Fate | Combined operations with Adcole Corp. to establish Redwire (June 2020) |
| Headquarters | Littleton , United States |
Key people | Steve Bailey (Founder and President) |
| Products | Systems engineering, spacecraft design, integration, testing, space-qualified imaging cameras, lunar rovers, lunar landers |
Deep Space Systems, Inc (DSS) is a privately held aerospace firm that specializes in systems engineering related to the design, development, integration, testing, and operational support of scientific and exploratory spacecraft.
Established in 2001 and based in Littleton, Colorado, DSS is under the leadership of its Founder and President, Steve Bailey.
In June 2020, DSS combined operations with Adcole Corp. to establish the company known as Redwire.
Overview
DSS’s expertise includes systems engineering, spacecraft design, integration, testing procedures, deep space mission management, and the production of high-resolution space-qualified imaging cameras. The company partnered with Lockheed Martin in 2006 on the development of the Orion spacecraft. In 2009, DSS earned recognition as NASA's Johnson Space Center Small Business Subcontractor of the Year for its contributions to Orion’s avionics system. Although Lockheed Martin continues to be a significant collaborator, DSS has expanded its portfolio to include satellite-compatible camera technologies.
On November 29, 2018, DSS was chosen to participate in NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, granting it the opportunity to compete for contracts valued at $2.6 billion over a decade for lunar payload delivery. As a prime contractor within CLPS, DSS has the ability to delegate subcontracted work and introduced a concept for a compact commercial lunar rover in 2019 designed to transport scientific instruments. Additionally, the company is advancing a lander design aimed at exploring resources located at the south polar region of the Moon.