Editing SpaceDev (section)

== History ==

SpaceDev was founded in 1997 by [[Jim Benson]], who acquired Integrated Space Systems of Southern California and then acquired a dormant publicly traded Colorado corporation through a reverse acquisition to create the publicly traded SpaceDev.  For a while, SpaceDev also owned UK-based [[Space Innovations Limited]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=531|title=Space Innovations Limited Management Reacquires Company From SpaceDev|date=January 14, 2000|publisher=Space Ref|accessdate=2006-08-26}}</ref> In August 1998 SpaceDev acquired all patents, intellectual property, test results, and documents that had been produced by the out of business [[American Rocket Company]] (AMROC).

On August 6, 1998, the [[United States Securities and Exchange Commission]] filed an administrative proceeding alleging securities fraud against Spacedev Inc. According to the SEC, Spacedev promotes itself extensively on the Internet. The SEC alleged that the company made false and misleading statements over the Internet and via other media in violation of U.S. securities laws in an attempt to increase its stock value. The SEC was seeking cease and desist orders against Spacedev and its chairman, James W. Benson. A settlement was reached between the SEC, Spacedev and James W. Benson.  The settlement states that the SEC was founded in its allegations and SpaceDev cease and desist from committing or causing violations or future violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule          10b-5 thereunder; and Mr. Benson cease and desist from committing or causing violations or future violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/34-41279.txt|title=United States Securities and Exchange Commission ruling against Spacedev|date=April 13, 1999|publisher=United States Securities and Exchange Commission}}</ref>

The company's first big project was to be the [[Near Earth Asteroid Prospector]], or NEAP, a small innovative commercial spacecraft mission that would have rendezvoused with and landed on a Near Earth Asteroid (NEO), conducted scientific experiments, and claimed the asteroid as private property.{{Citation needed|date=September 2016}}  As it turned out however, the company's first success would come a little closer to home, in the form of [[CHIPSat]] [https://web.archive.org/web/20080303015107/http://chips.ssl.berkeley.edu/], the [[Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer]] microsatellite.  SpaceDev built and conducted early orbit operations of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) microsat, the first to use only the Internet for its communications, for University of California at Berkeley under NASA's [[University Explorer Program]] (UNEX).  This was followed one year later by supplying the rocket motors that propelled SpaceShipOne into the history books by creating the world's first civilian astronauts and helping [[Paul Allen]] win the $10 million [[Ansari X Prize]].

On October 26, 2005, SpaceDev announced that the Starsys Research Corporation of [[Boulder, Colorado]], would merge with SpaceDev, which would provide SpaceDev with additional expertise and experience with [[Miniaturized satellite|microsatellite]] technologies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacedev.com/newsite/templates/subpage_article.php?pid=530|title=SpaceDev and Starsys Sign Merger Agreement|date=October 26, 2005|publisher=SpaceDev}}</ref> The acquisition of Starsys on January 31, 2006, put the number of SpaceDev employees over 200, located in three states. The Starsys division is being groomed to become a center of space robotics for SpaceDev. Over 18 years Starsys developed and delivered 2,000 space mechanisms that have flown on over 200 missions, all successfully.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}  SpaceDev has most or all of the moving parts on Mars at this time, had mechanisms on Deep Impact, is supplying the separation system and docking mechanism for the soon to be launched Orbital Express, and has mechanisms on the way to Pluto.

On September 28, 2006, SpaceDev announced that founder and CEO Jim Benson was stepping down to start a new [[space tourism]] venture, The [[Benson Space Company]] (BSC).  BSC was expected to be one of SpaceDev's largest customers, purchasing multiple [[Dream Chaser]] spaceships for use in personal spaceflight.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=20930|date=September 28, 2006|publisher=SpaceRef|title=SpaceDev Founder Jim Benson Launches Civilian Spaceflight Venture, Benson Space Company}}</ref> However BSC was dissolved following the death of Jim Benson on October 10, 2008, due to a brain tumor.