Aerospace incubator gaining momentum

By Ryan Dionne, Boulder County Business Report
August 7, 2009

For a nonprofit incubator that formed in January, eSpace: The Center for Space Entrepreneurship has already taken off at a missilelike pace after it cleared its first hurdle in securing $2 million in government funding, added new mentors and chose its first three companies to incubate.

The Boulder-based organization started in January as a collaboration between The University of Colorado and Louisville-based SpaceDev Inc. to support entrepreneurship and work force development in the space industry. The House of Representatives recently approved $2 million in funding for the center, but it must also be approved by the Senate and signed by the president before it's finalized.

U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., who pushed for the funding, said the money would come through a Department of Defense appropriations bill in fiscal year 2010. "Colorado has a long history of leadership in the space industry and developing a thriving entrepreneurial space community is a great way to fuel our aerospace economy," Polis said. "Through their educational outreach, eSpace instills future generations with the interest and skills needed to ensure that our nation remains the world leader in space industry."

The money would be used to build an industry/university research partnership to develop and commercialize viable space technologies; accelerate the creation and development of entrepreneurial space companies in aerospace-intensive regions of the country; and establish a collaborative industry/university curriculum to prepare high school, community college, and university students for working in the aerospace industry either as technicians or scientists.

"It's great news. If it happens, it'd be terrific," said George Sowers, United Launch Alliance's business development and advanced programs vice president. Sowers is one of eSpace's two new board members. The organization recently added the board members as well as a government liaison to its team. Sowers, as well as Merri Sanchez, an experienced NASA engineer and human spaceflight manager, were appointed to the board. Lisa Lockyer, deputy director of the New Ventures and Communications Directorate at NASA Ames Research Center in Colorado Springs, was named the liaison. "From what I can see in the first board meeting and some follow up activities I've had ... it seems like it's very worthwhile," Sowers said speaking of eSpace.

The two new board members will join Mark Sirangelo, David Allen, Frank Backes, Daniel Baker, Jeffrey Forbes, Cary Ludtke, R.C. "Merc" Mercure and Scott Trimboli on the board. Lockyer will join Casey Anglada DeRaad to become the second liaison. Diane Dimeff, eSpace's director, said the main difference between a liaison and a board member is that liaisons can't vote on issues. Otherwise they both mentor and counsel aerospace companies and entrepreneurs.

Earlier this year, eSpace chose three companies from a pool of 30 applicants for the first class of its space incubator program. Members of the first class are Zybek Advanced Products and Net-Centric Design Professionals, both in Boulder, and Space Awareness Services in Colorado Springs. Zybek produces synthetic moon rocks that more-accurately allow testing and simulations of moon landers and rovers. Net-Centric is developing secure networks for communication between space crafts and people on Earth. Space Awareness tracks space debris using commercial telescopes and software to help prevent collisions. Zybek and Space Awareness Services both received $20,000 grants in conjunction with joining the program.

Dimeff said the companies involved in eSpace's first incubator program, which began earlier this summer, likely will receive counsel for another 12 to 18 months.