Spaceflight’s Sherpa in-space transportation vehicle selected as one of region’s key market innovations
SEATTLE, March 29, 2022 – Spaceflight Inc., the leading global launch services provider, today announced that it was named a finalist in the Innovation of the Year category for the upcoming GeekWire Awards. After a month-long community nomination and judging process, Spaceflight’s Sherpa in-space transportation vehicle was selected, according to GeekWire, as one of the five most “innovative products in the Pacific Northwest tech ecosystem that will change the world.”
In 2021, Spaceflight launched three Sherpa vehicles, including the industry’s first with electric propulsion. The Sherpa vehicles successfully delivered 50 smallsats on orbit for more than 15 different customers. The selection of Spaceflight’s Sherpa as a finalist for the Innovation award distinguishes it as a disruptive technology in space transportation, meeting significant market demand from organizations who require unique orbital destinations unreachable by the large “bus-like” rideshare launches, and get their spacecraft on orbit exactly where and when they want.
“The Pacific Northwest has a long history of game-changing tech innovation, particularly in the space industry,” said Curt Blake, CEO and president of Spaceflight. “To be recognized by GeekWire as one of those companies breaking new ground is truly an honor. In a year hampered by the pandemic, we achieved several industry firsts, successfully proved new technologies in space, and are planning a revolutionary lunar fly-by mission for next year. I couldn’t be more proud of our team and bullish about the opportunities our Sherpa missions offer to our customers and the market overall.”
Online voting is now underway and the community can cast their ballots on the Awards’ event site here. The awards ceremony will take place on May 12 at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle.
With approximately 20 planned missions across its diverse portfolio of launch vehicle partners, 2022 is already off to a big start for Spaceflight. Last week during SATELLITE 2022, held in Washington DC, Spaceflight’s Sherpa was honored as a finalist for Via Satellite’s 2021 Satellite Technology of the Year award, and the company was highlighted as one of the 10 Hottest Companies of 2022. In January 2022, NASA named Spaceflight to provide launch services for the agency’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare missions, and earlier this month, Spaceflight successfully executed its first launch with Astra, a new rocket company.
About Spaceflight
As the premier global launch services provider, Spaceflight is revolutionizing the business of space transportation through its comprehensive suite of launch services and Sherpa® orbital transfer vehicles. The company provides unprecedented launch flexibility to ensure customers’ smallsats get to orbit exactly when and where they want through a combination of long-standing relationships with a diverse portfolio of launch partners, innovative satellite integration capabilities, including flight and ground support hardware, licensing and logistics management, and extensive mission management expertise. Based in Seattle, Spaceflight has successfully launched hundreds of satellites and is a part of the Mitsui & Co., Ltd. portfolio, operating as an independent, U.S.-based company. For more information, visit http://www.spaceflight.com.
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