Editing Micro-Space

{{Infobox company
| name = Micro-Space
| former_name = Spectron Instrument Corporation
| logo = 
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| type = 
| industry = [[Aerospace]]
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| founded = {{Start date|1977|02}} in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], USA
| founder = Richard P. Speck
| defunct = {{End date|2011}}
| fate = Dissolved
| successor = <!-- or: | successors = -->
| hq_location_city = [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]
| hq_location_country = [[United States]]
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}}

'''Micro-Space''' was an [[aerospace]] corporation based in [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], founded in February 1977 by Richard P. Speck under the name ''Spectron Instrument Corporation''.  The corporation changed its name to "Micro-Space, Inc." in 1998.  It was dissolved in 2011, following the death of the founder.

In addition to funding and building a number of its own spacecraft and rockets, Micro-Space was a component supplier to the [[emergence|emerging]]<ref name=sn20120813>
{{cite news |title=Cubist Movement |newspaper=Space News |page=30 |date=2012-08-13 |quote=''When [the cubesat was invented] a little more than a decade ago, [it was] never imagined that the tiny satellites would be adopted by universities, companies and government agencies around the world.  They simply wanted to design a spacecraft with capabilities similar to [[Sputnik]] that graduate student could design, build, test and operate.  For size, the professors settled on a 10-centimeter cube because it was large enough to accommodate a basic communications payload, [[Solar panels on spacecraft|solar panels]] and a battery.''}}</ref> [[CubeSat]] industry.<ref name=woellert2011>{{cite journal |last=Woellert|first=Kirk|author2=Ehrenfreund, Picco, Hertzfeld |title=Cubesats: Cost-effective science and technology platforms for emerging and developing nations |journal=Advances in Space Research |date=15 February 2011 |volume=47 |series=ISSN 0273-1177 |issue=4 |pages=663 |doi=10.1016/j.asr.2010.10.009  |url=http://www2.gwu.edu/~spi/assets/docs/Woellert_cubesats.pdf |accessdate=2014-02-28 |bibcode=2011AdSpR..47..663W }}</ref>

==Philosophy==
Micro-Space operated using a strategy based on using modern technology to achieve radical downsizing of space systems to minimize launch cost and make mission financing feasible. They claimed that cost-effectiveness is maximised by creating satellites the size of lunchboxes or cell phones, as opposed to "Volkswagens".

==History==
While one of the smaller teams participating in the [[Ansari X Prize]] competition, Micro-Space had previously developed an active [[aerospace]] program flying innovative [[liquid fuel]]ed [[rocket]]s. A long history of flying small rockets with [[telemetry]], tracking and control systems demonstrates its focus on the fundamental systems necessary for uncrewed - and eventually crewed - [[suborbital]] and [[Orbital spaceflight|orbital]] [[launch vehicle]] and satellite systems.<ref name=woellert2011/> While its operational systems are most appropriate for atmospheric research, the company claims to have produced modules which, if clustered, could power a "spartan" [[Human spaceflight|crewed launch]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}

Seventeen liquid fueled, bipropellant rockets were successfully flown by 2006, with altitudes to 11,000 feet. [[Hydrogen peroxide]] and [[methyl alcohol]] were the fuels.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}

Micro-Space competed in the 2006 [[Lunar Lander Challenge]] held in [[Las Cruces, New Mexico]], part of the [[Centennial Challenges]] competitions sponsored by NASA, and was considered by event organizers as one of two favorites to win.<ref name=dp20061016>{{cite news |last=Yamanouchi|first=Kelly |title=Lunar challenge lures maverick |url=http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_4494989 |accessdate=2014-02-28 |newspaper=Denver Post|date=2006-10-16 }}</ref>

Micro-Space also built operational prototypes suitable for long duration life support and other needs of lunar and [[interplanetary mission|interplanetary]] missions, including [[Mars landing]].  The company was dissolved in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Summary: MICRO-SPACE INC., Dissolved December 22, 2011|url=http://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/BusinessEntityDetail.do?quitButtonDestination=BusinessEntityResults&nameTyp=ENT&entityId2=19871316838&srchTyp=ENTITY&fileId=20111699931&masterFileId=19871316838|publisher=Colorado Secretary of State|accessdate=2014-06-27}}</ref>

Micro-Space was manifested to fly two [[CubeSat]]s on a "Ride Sharing" launch with [[EduSAT]], [[State Space Agency of Ukraine#History|Sich-2]] and other spacecraft, to be flown on a [[Dnepr (rocket)|Dnepr rocket]] into a [[Polar orbit|near-polar]] [[Sun-synchronous orbit]] in October 2010. Payload integration for this satellite group was handled by [[Morehead State University]], involving Dr. Ben Malphrus (Space Science Center director) and professor [[Bob Twiggs]]. Micro-Space also planned to deliver two similar spacecraft to Morehead State and the [[University of Colorado at Colorado Springs]].<ref name=sf20100529>
{{cite news |title=Micro-Space is Currently Manifested to fly two tiny CubeSats |url=http://www.portaltotheuniverse.org/blogs/posts/view/59438/ |accessdate=2014-02-28 |newspaper=Space Fellowship |date=2010-05-29 }}</ref>

The complete, four satellite "PQ-Gemini ++" mission group, in addition to validating general satellite systems, was to be capable of demonstrating Micro-Space [[Interferometry|interferometric techniques]] to characterize orbital differences using only precision range data between ultralight spacecraft in preparation for autonomous rendezvous. Additional systems were to allow the relative positions, distance and rotational alignment of the four satellites to be continuously monitored. This information is necessary for the final, docking procedures. Other developmental steps were projected to follow, leading to ultralight sample return missions on the Moon and Mars.{{update after|2014|6|27}}

In 2010 Micro-space was selected to negotiate a NASA Phase I SBIR contract entitled "Non-Radiated Field Link to Recharge, Reprogram, Test and Co-ordinate Aux. Payload Systems". Unfortunately, the untimely death of Richard P. Speck in October 2010 effectively halted all programs.

In 2007, Micro-Space was discussing return sample analysis and [[lunar prospecting]] with several organizations.<ref name=dp20071028>
[http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_7294618 Teams striving to take dreams to the moon], ''[[Denver Post]]'', 2007-10-28, accessed 2010-12-24.</ref>
Prospecting operations will be aimed at locating concentrations of extractable lunar gems and minerals. High grade [[titanium]], [[rare-earth metal]]s and [[helium-3]] (a potential [[fusion reactor]] fuel) are all known to exist on the Moon. Low cost flight of concentrated ores to the Earth is feasible using Solar Powered, electromagnetic "Rail guns", and other technologies.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}

Propellant to complete rendezvous and docking was not allowed in the planned satellite cluster launch. Arrangements were being negotiated for launch 2011 of small Micro-Space spacecraft with propulsion systems to demonstrate the complete rendezvous and docking process as will be used with “Planetary Ascent Vehicles” carrying prospecting samples. Negotiations with this launch supplier also cover subsequent launch of a “Lunar Lander” and Lunar Transfer spacecraft, as well as the Planetary Ascent and Return vehicles.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://spacefellowship.com/Forum/viewforum.php?f=22 Official Micro-Space Forum], hosted on [[Space Fellowship]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120424223731/http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/sbir2010/phase1/awards/2010statelist.html?f=22 2010 SBIR Phae 1 Awards]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgK3TYhEPBs&feature=player_embedded#t=29 Richard Speck on Micro-Space], circa 2010.

{{Google Lunar X Prize}}

[[Category:Commercial spaceflight]]
[[Category:Technology companies disestablished in 2011]]<!-- LINK: http://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/BusinessEntityDetail.do?quitButtonDestination=BusinessEntityResults&nameTyp=ENT&entityId2=19871316838&srchTyp=ENTITY&fileId=20111699931&masterFileId=19871316838 , accessed 2014-06-27 -->
[[Category:Google Lunar X Prize]]
[[Category:Cancelled spacecraft]]
[[Category:Projects disestablished in 2011]]