Space Services, Inc. of America (SSIA) is a space services company that provides star naming services as well as space burial services through its subsidiary company, Celestis. Though today it buys secondary payload space on third-party commercial rockets such as Falcon 9, Taurus, and Spaceloft XL, in the 1980s the company conducted test flights of several in-house rockets.
In 1982, their Conestoga I rocket became the first privately funded rocket to reach space. In October 1995, their first (and only) attempt at an orbital launch, Conestoga 1620, failed to achieve orbit due to a guidance system failure 46 seconds into its flight. The parent company, EER Systems, subsequently folded and the Conestoga program was canceled.
Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Space Services is the world leader in commercial space missions. Since 1981, Space Services’ list of firsts is unmatched and includes the world’s first-ever private rocket launch, the Conestoga 1.
Whether through innovative consumer products that bring space to a global audience, next-generation technologies that enable new applications and industries, or the development of uniquely new markets for traditional and non-traditional customers, Space Services is truly a pioneer of the modern commercial space age.
Space Services is the brand name of Space Services Holdings, Inc., which includes the iconic Celestis, Inc. and Solar Sail Technologies, Inc., the exclusive commercial partner for NASA’s Sunjammer solar sail mission. Led by Conestoga 1 team member Charles M. Chafer, Space Services’ record of leadership on innovative private participation space missions includes over a dozen projects, with more currently in development.
According to en.wikipedia.org; spaceservicesinc.com. Source of photos: internet
