Swales Aerospace
| Company type | Employee-owned company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace engineering |
| Founded | April 17, 1978 in Beltsville, Maryland, United States |
| Founder | Tom Swales |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Fate | Acquired by Alliant Techsystems |
| Headquarters | Beltsville, Maryland , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Tom Swales (Founder and CEO), Tom Wilson (Director of Business Development, later CEO), Ron Luzier (Senior VP and Chief Engineer, later CTO) |
| Products | Thermal control and structural solutions for space missions, small satellite missions, SCONCE secondary carrier system |
Number of employees | Approximately 900 (in 2004) |
| Parent | Alliant Techsystems (from 2007) |
Swales Aerospace operated as an employee-owned aerospace engineering company, focusing on thermal control and structural solutions for space missions. Known worldwide for its expertise in two-phase thermal technologies and as a provider of small satellite missions, Swales counted prominent organizations such as NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense among its key clients. The company became part of Alliant Techsystems in 2007.
Key dates
- 1978: Establishment of Swales.
- 1998: Welch Engineering acquired in Pasadena.
- 2001: Dynatherm acquisition; office opened in El Segundo, CA.
- 2002: Houston facility inaugurated.
- 2005: Restructured into four distinct business segments.
- 2007: Taken over by Alliant Techsystems.
Company history
Headquartered in Maryland and owned by employees through an ESOP, Swales Aerospace specialized in aerospace manufacturing with an emphasis on satellite thermal and structural systems. The firm maintained locations across Virginia, Florida, Texas, California, and Maryland near NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Approximately three-quarters of its revenue was derived from NASA contracts alongside defense projects. Swales played significant roles in high-profile programs such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station, while also developing proprietary small satellite missions prior to its acquisition.
Origins in Beltsville
Swales Aerospace was founded on April 17, 1978, in Beltsville, Maryland by Tom Swales, who served as CEO. Tom Wilson, initially director of business development and later CEO, joined early on. Both founders possessed strong backgrounds in structural analysis engineering. Ron Luzier became senior vice president and chief engineer before advancing to chief technology officer.
Beginning with a team of ten employees operating within NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and providing analytical support for the Hubble Space Telescope, the company gradually expanded its headquarters from leased spaces in Greenbelt, Maryland to eventually occupy 18 buildings at the Paulen Industrial Center.
Acquisition strategy launched in 1995
Starting in 1995, Swales embarked on an acquisition campaign to broaden its capabilities beyond engineering into manufacturing satellite components and astronaut tools—most notably a widely used power wrench. By 1997, the company’s revenue exceeded $75 million with a workforce of approximately 700 employees engaged in projects including thermal control system parts for the International Space Station.
In December 1998, Swales acquired Welch Engineering Ltd., based in Pasadena, California, thereby strengthening its control systems expertise. Welch’s proximity to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and additional offices in Rockville, Maryland contributed about 40 new staff members. During this timeframe, NASA contracts accounted for roughly 70% of Swales's business.
Swales developed an instrument suite for NASA's Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), pushing advancements in low-temperature composite materials and bonding processes under lead engineer Jim Pontius. Technologies pioneered for FUSE were later adapted to support the Naval EarthMap Observer (NEMO) remote sensing satellite.
In 1999, Swales led a consortium with AlliedSignal Technical Services Corp. and Hammers Co. to commercialize NASA's Small Explorer-Lite (SMEX-Lite) spacecraft technology. The company served as prime contractor for Earth Observing 1 (EO1), which launched in November 2000, and was among three firms chosen by NASA that year to develop lightweight spacecraft platforms and innovative materials.
Significant Contracts in 2000
In 2000, Swales achieved $90 million in sales and employed approximately 800 people. The company preserved its profitability by concentrating on its specialized engineering sector. That November, it secured a substantial five-year contract worth $240 million from NASA for work at the Langley Research Center, outbidding larger competitor Federal Data Corp. Shortly thereafter, Swales was awarded a $350 million, five-year contract to support the Goddard Space Flight Center, acting as the lead subcontractor for both projects.
NASA continued to represent the largest portion of the company’s revenue. Following the events of 9/11, defense-related contracts grew to constitute roughly 10% of total income due to shifting national security priorities.
In October 2001, Swales expanded by acquiring most assets of Dynatherm, a Maryland-based developer specializing in thermal management systems located in Hunt Valley. At the same time, the company established an office in El Segundo, California, to penetrate commercial aerospace markets around Los Angeles and opened an engineering facility on Merritt Island, Florida, near Cape Canaveral.
The beginning of 2002 saw further growth with the inauguration of an office near Houston’s Johnson Space Center and a 34,000-square-foot expansion of its Beltsville, Maryland facility, bringing its total space to over 220,000 square feet. Revenues increased to $157 million.
As NASA shifted more engineering responsibilities to contractors in order to downsize internal staff, Swales became one of the top three contractors at Langley Research Center, employing around 900 people globally, including 125 at Langley itself. In 2002, Swales obtained lead contractor status on a $225 million Systems Analysis and Mission Support (SAMS) contract over five years at Langley, surpassing Lockheed Martin and Federal Data Corp.
Swales also engaged in cutting-edge projects such as creating computer models for hypersonic aircraft engines and collaborating on Boeing-led contracts aimed at developing nuclear electric power systems for deep space missions that utilize electric thrusters powered by nuclear reactors.
Additionally, the company contributed to Hubble Space Telescope operations by designing efficient solar arrays and engineering cooling solutions for its Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS).
Introduction of a New Drill in 2002
Swales took advantage of President George W. Bush’s Mars exploration initiative by testing a low-energy dry drilling device intended to detect subsurface water on Mars. During a field trial in 2002, this drill successfully penetrated ten meters into Arizona sandstone without requiring repairs or bit replacements. After experiencing a revenue decline from $140 million down to $4 million in 2002, sales rebounded strongly to $157 million in 2003.
One notable product was the SCONCE secondary carrier system, which allows smaller payloads to share launch vehicles with larger missions. In May 2003, SCONCE facilitated the deployment of a microsatellite aboard an Air Force rocket, demonstrating its potential for reducing costs within commercial markets.
Swales partnered with Aavid Thermalloy, LLC—a global leader in electronic thermal management—to bring advanced cooling technologies developed for government satellite applications into commercial production. This collaboration combined Swales’ innovative thermal solutions with Aavid’s manufacturing capabilities and marketing network to meet increasing demand driven by faster computer processors requiring enhanced heat dissipation.
In September 2004, Swales was designated as the primary mission assurance director for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency’s Ballistic Missile Defense System development effort. This initiative involved collaboration with Millennium Engineering and Integration Company, SRS Technologies, and Vanguard Research Inc.
With anticipated sales exceeding $180 million in 2004 and a workforce numbering around 900 employees, Swales focused on broadening its customer portfolio. To support this goal, in January 2005 the company restructured into four divisions: Civil Services (supporting NASA centers including Goddard and JPL), Commercial Programs and Engineering Services (providing flight hardware and thermal systems), Civil Programs, and National Security Programs and Engineering Services.
Swales also played a role in the THEMIS space weather mission scheduled for launch in October 2006, which involves five satellites monitoring disturbances within Earth’s magnetosphere.
Main divisions
- Civil Programs
- Civil Services
- Commercial Programs and Engineering Services
- National Security Programs and Engineering Services
External links
- Aerospace companies of the United States
- Alliant Techsystems
- Beltsville, Maryland
- Manufacturing companies based in Maryland
- Companies based in Prince George's County, Maryland
- Former defense companies of the United States
- Employee-owned companies of the United States
- American companies established in 1978
- Technology companies established in 1978
- 2007 mergers and acquisitions
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment