View source for Company:Deep Space Industries

{{short description|Former aerospace company}}
{{infobox company
|industry = [[Engineering:Space technology|Space technology]]<br>[[Astronomy:Space exploration|Space exploration]]
|foundation = January 22, 2013
|founder = [[Biography:Rick Tumlinson|Rick N. Tumlinson]] <br> Daniel Faber<ref name="DSI Team" /><br>David Gump<ref name="DSI Team" /><br>Kirby Ikin<ref name="DSI Team" /><br>John C. Mankins<ref name="DSI Team" /><br>Stephen Covey<ref name="DSI Team" /><br>Mark Sonter<ref name="DSI Team" /><br>Christopher Cassell<ref name="DSI Team">{{cite web|title=Company Team|website=Deep Space Industries |date=2018-06-01 |url=http://deepspaceindustries.com/company/ |access-date=2018-06-26}}</ref><br>James Luebke<ref name="DSI Team" /><br>Bryan Versteeg<ref name="DSI Team" /><br>James Wolff<ref name="DSI Team" />
|key_people = Bill Miller, [[Company:CEO|CEO]]<ref name="Deep Space Industries 2017">{{cite web |title=Bill Miller, Veteran Start-Up Strategist, Joins DSI as Chief Executive Officer |website=Deep Space Industries |date=2017-01-09 |url=http://deepspaceindustries.com/bill-miller-veteran-start-strategist-joins-dsi-chief-executive-officer/ |access-date=2018-06-26}}</ref><br>Grant Bonin, [[Engineering:Chief technology officer|CTO]]<ref name="Deep Space Industries 2015">{{cite web |title=Respected Nanosat Leader Joins Asteroid Mining Team - Deep Space Industries |website=Deep Space Industries |date=2015-09-08 |url=http://deepspaceindustries.com/respected-nanosat-leader-joins-asteroid-mining-team/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908014902/http://deepspaceindustries.com/respected-nanosat-leader-joins-asteroid-mining-team/ |archive-date=2017-09-08 |url-status=dead}}</ref><br>Sagi Kfir, General Counsel<ref name="DSI Team" />
|location_city = San Jose, {{wipe|California}}, {{wipe|United States}}
|products = Deep Space Xplorer, Comet
|website = {{URL|www.deepspaceindustries.com}}
|footnotes = <ref name=soper-2013>{{cite news |url=http://www.geekwire.com/2013/deep-space-industries-entering-asteroidmining-world-creates-competition-planetary-resources/ |title=Deep Space Industries entering asteroid-mining world, creates competition for Planetary Resources |work=GeekWire: Dispatches from the Digital Frontier |date=January 22, 2013 |agency=GeekWire |accessdate=January 22, 2013 |author=Soper, Taylor}}</ref><ref name=rincon-2013>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21144769 |title=New venture 'to mine asteroids' |work=BBC News |date=January 22, 2013 |agency=British Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=January 22, 2013 |author=Rincon, Paul}}</ref><ref name=dsi-pr-2013 /><ref name=wall-2013 />
}}
'''Deep Space Industries''', or '''DSI''',<ref name="forbes20130125">{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kitconews/2013/01/25/asteroid-mining-becoming-more-of-a-reality/|title=Asteroid Mining Becoming More Of A Reality|last=Létourneau|first=Alex|date=2013-01-25|newspaper=Forbes.com|accessdate=2013-01-26}}</ref> was an American [[Engineering:Private spaceflight|private]][[Finance:Privately held company|ly-held]] company operating in the [[Engineering:Outline of space technology|space technology]] and space exploration sectors. It was acquired on January 1, 2019 by Bradford Space.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spacenews.com/deep-space-industries-acquired-by-bradford-space/|title = Deep Space Industries acquired by Bradford Space|date = 2 January 2019}}</ref>

The company is developing and building spacecraft technology that allows private companies and government agencies to access destinations throughout the solar system. DSI's goal is to access to deep space and substantially lower the cost of doing so.

==History==
DSI was formally announced on January 22, 2013.<ref name="wall-2013">{{cite news|url=http://www.space.com/19368-asteroid-mining-deep-space-industries.html|title=Asteroid-Mining Project Aims for Deep-Space Colonies|author=Wall, Mike|date=January 22, 2013|work=Space.com|accessdate=January 22, 2013|agency=TechMediaNetwork}}</ref> DSI spent 3-½ years investigating the feasibility of space resource utilization.  In late 2015, DSI received venture funding<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsmetatron-global-deep-space-industries-asteroid-mining-mission-4696981/|title=Metatron Global to invest in Deep Space Industries to advance asteroid mining mission – Aerospace Technology|date=2015-10-18|work=Aerospace Technology|access-date=2018-06-21|language=en-GB}}</ref>  to begin the development of a propulsion system and spacecraft capable of traveling from low Earth orbit (LEO) to deep space on its own.

{{asof|2013}}, the company CEO was David Gump, previously of Transformational Space Corporation and [[Company:Astrobotic Technology|Astrobotic Technology]]. Chairman Rick N. Tumlinson is a founder of the [[Organization:Space Frontier Foundation|Space Frontier Foundation]], among other organizations in the field of space exploration.<ref name="soper-2013" /> <!-- this should probably be broadened into a paragraph on the founders; Gump is only one of many. -->
Sometime prior to August 2016, Daniel Faber became the CEO.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wn3k8jW4OI Daniel Faber, Deep Space Industries], interview on TMRO broadcast, published 20 August 2016.</ref> In January 2017 DSI named Bill Miller as Chief Executive Officer. Miller is a startup strategist.<ref>[https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-miller-459aa7132/ William Miller, Chief Executive Officer at Deep Space Industries]</ref>

== Spacecraft and technologies ==
As of June 2018, Deep Space Industries is working on a series of technologies that aim to lower the cost of access to high earth orbits and deep space for private companies and government agencies.

'''''Xplorer''''' is a spacecraft that is designed to use its own propulsion system to travel from low Earth orbit (LEO) to an Earth departure trajectory or higher Earth orbits such as geostationary orbit (GEO). Xplorer is built to enable exploration and high delta-V applications within low Earth orbits, geosynchronous orbit, near-Earth asteroids, and deep space destinations such as Lunar orbits, Venus, or Mars.

Xplorer is equipped to give a 10&nbsp;kg payload a delta-V capability of approximately 5&nbsp;km/s, with greater payload masses possible at lower delta-V requirements. Xplorer also provides deep space communications, navigation, attitude control, thermal control, and payload power. Xplorer's Reaction Control System gives six degrees of freedom to maneuver close to celestial objects. Xplorer is capable of  launching on a variety of commercial rideshares to low Earth orbit, and decouples launch timing from orbit raising and Earth departure maneuvers.

'''''Comet''''' is a launch-safe electrothermal propulsion system designed for orbit raising, life extension, and de-orbit. It uses water as a propellant, and is scalable for CubeSats to small micro-satellites, with a flexible interface suitable for a wide range of spacecraft. The system is approved to fly on multiple launch vehicles as part of a secondary or rideshare spacecraft.

==Criticism==

The announcement of DSI was met with both praise and criticism. Several unnamed scientists have questioned whether cost-effective asteroid mining could even be accomplished given competition in Earth terrestrial markets and the high cost of returning high-value minerals to Earth.<ref name=rincon-2013/> However, DSI has responded to these statements by stating that the majority of the materials mined—principally water—would be destined for use in space, thus avoiding the enormous fuel costs of repeatedly returning to and escaping from Earth's gravitational field, and additionally, that servicing [[Astronomy:Communications satellite|communications satellite]] constellations could earn the company $5 to 8 million per month.<ref name="dsi-pr-2013">{{cite press release|title=Commercial Asteroid Hunters announce plans for new Robotic Exploration Fleet|date=January 22, 2013|publisher=Deep Space Industries|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/1/prweb10346181.htm|accessdate=January 22, 2013|archive-date=January 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123071849/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/1/prweb10346181.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Whether Deep Space Industries would be competing in similar services as [[Company:Planetary Resources|Planetary Resources]] was also questioned. In particular, Planetary Resources has not released information on their intentions for processing, power generation, or in-space manufacturing hardware and equipment.<ref name=wall-2013 /><ref name=boyle-2013>{{cite news | url=http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/22/16647738-deep-space-industries-lofty-asteroid-ambitions-face-high-financial-hurdles | title=Deep Space Industries' lofty asteroid ambitions face high financial hurdles | work=Cosmic Log | date=January 22, 2012 | agency=National Broadcasting Corporation | accessdate=January 23, 2013 | author=Boyle, Alan}}</ref> Deep Space Industries has not yet announced its spacecraft manufacturing partnerships for the FireFly 1.<ref name=boyle-2013 />

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Astronomy:Asteroid mining|Asteroid mining]]
* [[Astronomy:In situ resource utilization|In situ resource utilization]]
* [[Astronomy:Mining the Sky|Mining the Sky]]
* [[Company:Planetary Resources|Planetary Resources]]
* [[Company:Shackleton Energy Company|Shackleton Energy Company]]
* Space manufacturing
* [[Engineering:Space technology|Space technology]]
* Space trade
* Space-based economy
* [[Company:SpaceDev|SpaceDev]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht1_VIw6C98 Press conference, Jan 22 2013] – 103-min video
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhf3_uDz6ks Asteroid Mining 1 session], National Space Society ''ISDC 2013'' conference – 15 June 2013.  DSI CEO D. Gump speaks 15:00–28:30, followed by Q&A from the audience.
* [http://www.space.com/19378-deep-space-industries-asteroid-mining-photos.html Illustrated concept] – 9-picture gallery

[[Category:Aerospace companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Private spaceflight companies]]

{{Sourceattribution|Deep Space Industries}}