2006 as one of six finalists for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, though they were not subsequently selected for funding the COTS R&D by NASA. Andrews Space later supported Rocketplane Kistler's COTS effort. In 2010 and 2011 Andrews Space support Orbital's Cygnus COTS effort. In November 2010, Andrews Space was selected by NASA for consideration for potential contract awards for heavy lift launch vehicle system concepts, and propulsion technologies. In 2011 Andrews Space was one of four companies selected by the US Air Force as part of its Rocket-back Booster System demonstrator program. As part of these awards the company was awarded a $250M IDIQ contract. In 2013 Andrews Space was awarded a contract by the US Army SMDC to build the Kestrel Eye 2 small imaging spacecraft. This was the result of a pivot by Andrews Space, begun in 2008, to move into space hardware production and very small spacecraft. While the Kestrel Eye 2 program was delayed and ultimately cancelled due to funding cuts as a result of Sequestration, much of the technology would make it to orbit as part of the BlackSky Pathfinder spacecraft, which was launched successfully in September 2016. From 2011-2013 Andrews Space developed and built the Cargo Module Power Unit for Orbital's Cygnus cargo delivery spacecraft. The CMPU was responsible for supplying power and managing power distribution to powered experiments inside the Cygnus spacecraft during their trip to the ISS. Andrews Space also licensed the magnetic torque rod design from Sinclair Interplanetary and produced many units which were used in a range of spacecraft, including those for the BlackSky Pathfinder / Global spacecraft, the Skybox Skysat spacecraft, as well as others. In 2015 Andrews Space was merged with Spaceflight, Inc. and BlackSky Global LLC and operated as Spaceflight Systems, a separate operating entity under the parent company of Spaceflight Industries. See also Reusable launch system Commercial Orbital Transportation Services List of private spaceflight companies References External links Video animation - Peregrine Spaceplane Video animation - Gryphon Spaceplane Future Space Transportation Study Aerospace companies of the United States Companies based in Seattle