Space Vector Corporation
Space Vector Corporation is a privately held U.S. aerospace company supplying flight-safety, guidance, tracking, propulsion-support, separation, avionics, and launch-integration systems to government and commercial customers.
Last updated October 14, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Space Vector Corporation (SVC) is a privately held aerospace engineering and manufacturing company headquartered in Chatsworth, California. The company serves U.S. government and commercial aerospace customers with specialized hardware, subsystem engineering, vehicle integration, testing, and launch-support services. Its work spans flight-safety equipment, system batteries, GPS tracking systems, custom avionics and structures, attitude-control systems, pneumatic components, and payload or stage separation systems. The company was established in 1969 to support NASA sounding-rocket missions. Its early products included Miniature Inertial Digital Attitude System platforms and reaction-control systems. These capabilities positioned Space Vector as a specialist in compact guidance and control equipment for suborbital vehicles and scientific missions. In the 1970s, the company obtained access to surplus Minuteman I rocket motors and developed the Aries family of guided suborbital rockets. Over approximately two decades, it launched 30 Aries vehicles for microgravity and other scientific experiments. Space Vector subsequently expanded into missile-defense and target-vehicle work. In 1980, Lockheed engaged the company in development support for the Homing Overlay Experiment booster. The experiment became the first successful hit-to-kill interception of a mock ballistic-missile warhead outside the atmosphere, and related technology later informed the Strategic Defense Initiative and the Exoatmospheric Reentry-vehicle Interception System program. In 1982, Space Vector fabricated and launched Conestoga 1 for Space Services Inc. of America. The mission became the first privately funded rocket launch to reach space. During the 1990s, the company broadened its role as a supplier and integrator for defense testing. Space Vector worked with Coleman Research Corporation and Aerotherm on 25 Hera target vehicles for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. The targets supported testing of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Patriot PAC-3 missile-defense systems. In 1997, Space Vector developed the single-stage AltAir target vehicle and became the first company to air-launch a Minuteman-based target vehicle. The same year, the U.S. Air Force selected the company as a prime contractor for launch services under the Sounding Rocket Program. From the 2000s onward, Space Vector increasingly emphasized high-reliability aerospace subsystems and integration services for major prime contractors. Its activities included work on targets and countermeasures, payload launch vehicles, experimental small-launch-vehicle concepts, launch carriers, engine components, non-ordnance separation equipment, GPS metric-tracking hardware, and propellant-level sensing systems. Under the DARPA-funded FALCON effort, Space Vector participated in Team Air Launch and fabricated a pressure-fed coaxial pintle-injector engine and a Storage and Launch Carrier intended to deploy a large vehicle from a C-17 aircraft. The company also developed a non-ordnance separation system designed to separate stages and payloads without explosive bolts or cutters. The approach was intended to reduce shock and orbital or flight debris. A 50-inch version was qualified and delivered to ATK for the ALV X-1 flight-test vehicle. In 2008, United Launch Alliance selected Space Vector to develop and supply GPS tracking units and low-noise amplifiers for real-time range-safety metric data on Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles. The tracking system first flew in 2012 and was fully certified after its fourth flight in 2013. Further ULA contracts in 2013 covered a mission-critical fuel-level sensing system for Delta II and a fuel-depletion probe for Atlas V. Space Vector's market position is based on specialized engineering, qualification, and integration rather than high-volume consumer production. Its history combines sounding rockets, missile-defense targets, launch vehicles, flight safety, and space-launch instrumentation. Publicly available reference material identifies it as an active small business, but does not provide sufficient information to establish current ownership, executive leadership, revenue, or a complete present-day program portfolio.
History
Space Vector Corporation was founded in 1969 as a supplier of compact guidance and control technology for NASA sounding rockets. Its initial portfolio included Miniature Inertial Digital Attitude System platforms and reaction-control systems. These products established the company's early specialization in small, mission-critical aerospace subsystems. In 1972, Space Vector obtained the right to use surplus Minuteman I motors for guided suborbital rockets. The resulting Aries vehicles supported scientific and microgravity experiments, with 30 successful launches reported over the following two decades. This work gave the company experience in adapting surplus strategic-rocket hardware for controlled research and test missions. The company entered missile-defense development in 1980 when Lockheed engaged it to support the booster for the Homing Overlay Experiment. The experiment achieved the first successful hit-to-kill interception of a mock ballistic-missile warhead outside Earth's atmosphere. Technologies associated with this work later contributed to the Strategic Defense Initiative and the Exoatmospheric Reentry-vehicle Interception System program. In 1982, Space Vector worked for Space Services Inc. of America on Conestoga 1, fabricating and launching the vehicle from Matagorda Island, Texas. The launch became an important milestone in the early history of privately funded spaceflight because the rocket reached space. Space Vector's defense-target business expanded in 1992. Working with Coleman Research Corporation, now identified in the reference material as part of L-3 Communications, and Aerotherm, the company supplied 25 Hera target vehicles for Army Space and Missile Defense Command testing. The vehicles supported evaluation of THAAD and Patriot PAC-3 anti-ballistic-missile systems. In 1997, Space Vector developed the AltAir single-stage target vehicle for the U.S. Air Force and achieved the first air launch of a Minuteman-based target vehicle. The company also became a prime launch-services contractor under the Air Force Sounding Rocket Program. Its initial delivery order involved fabrication and launch of a two-stage medium-range ballistic-missile target from Kodiak, Alaska, to exercise the PAVE PAWS phased-array warning radar at Beale Air Force Base in California. Beginning in 2002, Space Vector shifted greater attention toward high-reliability aerospace systems and components supplied to large prime contractors. Its identified programs included Targets and Countermeasures and Payload Launch Vehicle activities associated with Lockheed Martin. In 2005, as part of Team Air Launch, the company participated in the DARPA-funded FALCON small-launch-vehicle effort. Space Vector fabricated a Vapak pressure-fed coaxial pintle-injector engine and the Storage and Launch Carrier intended to deploy a 72,000-pound, 60-foot vehicle from an unmodified C-17 cargo aircraft. In 2007, the company developed a non-ordnance separation system for separating large vehicle stages and payloads without explosive bolts or cutters. The design aimed to reduce mechanical shock and debris. A 50-inch version was qualified and delivered to ATK for the ALV X-1 flight-test vehicle launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. Space Vector's launch-instrumentation work grew through its relationship with United Launch Alliance. A 2008 contract covered GPS tracking units and low-noise amplifiers for Atlas V and Delta IV Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles. The GPS metric-tracking system first flew in 2012 and completed certification after its fourth flight in 2013. Also in 2013, ULA awarded Space Vector work on a Delta II fuel-level sensing system and an Atlas V fuel-depletion probe. The available reference material does not identify a founder, current executives, ownership changes, financial results, or a detailed account of operations after the 2013 contract activity. Space Vector is described as a privately held small business headquartered in Chatsworth, California.
- 2013
Launch-vehicle sensing work
[1]Space Vector received ULA work on Delta II fuel-level sensing and an Atlas V fuel-depletion probe.
- 2008
ULA GPS-tracking contract
[1]United Launch Alliance contracted Space Vector for GPS tracking units and low-noise amplifiers for Atlas V and Delta IV.
- 2007
Non-ordnance separation system qualified
[1]Space Vector developed and qualified a large separation system designed to avoid explosive bolts and cutters.
- 2005
Team Air Launch participation
[1]The company participated in the DARPA-funded FALCON small-launch-vehicle effort and fabricated engine and carrier hardware.
- 2002
Greater focus on aerospace subsystems
[1]Space Vector shifted emphasis toward high-reliability systems and components for major aerospace prime contractors.
- 1997
AltAir air-launch demonstration
[1]Space Vector developed AltAir and became the first company to air-launch a Minuteman-based target vehicle.
- 1997
Sounding Rocket Program prime contract
[1]The U.S. Air Force selected Space Vector as a prime contractor for Sounding Rocket Program launch services.
- 1992
Hera target-vehicle program
[1]Space Vector joined a team supplying 25 Hera target vehicles for Army missile-defense testing.
- 1982
Conestoga 1 reaches space
[1]Space Vector fabricated and launched Conestoga 1, described as the first privately funded rocket to reach space.
- 1980
Homing Overlay Experiment support
[1]Space Vector assisted Lockheed with development of the Homing Overlay Experiment booster for the U.S. Army.
Products and positioning
A specialized, high-reliability aerospace supplier and systems integrator serving government defense, space-launch, scientific, and commercial aerospace programs.
Guided suborbital rockets · 1972
Aries
Aries was a family of guided, suborbital rockets developed from surplus Minuteman I motors. Space Vector used the vehicles to support scientific and microgravity experiments, completing 30 launches over roughly two decades. The program reflected the company's early ability to adapt existing strategic-rocket propulsion assets for controlled research missions.
Missile-defense target vehicles · 1992
Hera
Hera target vehicles were supplied through a Space Vector team for U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command testing. The vehicles supported evaluation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Patriot PAC-3 anti-ballistic-missile systems, providing realistic target missions for defense-system development and test programs.
Air-launched target vehicle · 1997
AltAir
AltAir was a single-stage target vehicle developed for the U.S. Air Force to demonstrate the feasibility of air-launching a Minuteman-based target. Space Vector's work made it the first company to conduct such an air launch, extending the company's experience from ground-launched sounding rockets into airborne test architectures.
Launch-range tracking equipment · 2012
GPS Metric-Tracking System
Space Vector developed GPS tracking units and low-noise amplifiers for United Launch Alliance launch vehicles. The system supplied real-time metric tracking data to range-safety operations on Atlas V and Delta IV vehicles. It first flew in 2012 and was fully certified after its fourth flight in 2013.
Payload and stage separation equipment · 2007
Non-ordnance separation system
This separation technology was designed to separate large launch-vehicle stages and payloads without explosive bolts or cutters. Its intended benefits included lower shock loads and reduced debris. A 50-inch version was qualified and delivered to ATK for the ALV X-1 flight-test vehicle.
Propellant-management instrumentation · 2013
Fuel-level sensing system and fuel-depletion probe
Space Vector developed mission-critical propellant-sensing hardware for United Launch Alliance. The identified work included a fuel-level sensing system for Delta II and a fuel-depletion probe for Atlas V, supporting launch-vehicle monitoring and propulsion-management functions.
Brand decisions
2008
Develop GPS range-safety tracking system for ULAProduct launchBackground
United Launch Alliance required real-time metric tracking for Atlas V and Delta IV launch operations.
Action taken
Space Vector was contracted to develop GPS tracking units and low-noise amplifiers for the launch vehicles.
Aftermath
The system first flew in 2012 and achieved full certification in 2013 after its fourth flight.
2002
Shift toward high-reliability aerospace subsystemsStrategyBackground
After decades of rocket and target-vehicle work, Space Vector adjusted its emphasis within the aerospace supply chain.
Action taken
The company focused more heavily on high-reliability systems and components for major prime contractors, including work associated with Lockheed Martin programs.
Aftermath
The expanded portfolio included targets and countermeasures, payload launch vehicles, tracking equipment, separation systems, and launch-support hardware.
1972
Reuse surplus Minuteman motors for scientific launch vehiclesStrategyBackground
Space Vector obtained rights to surplus Minuteman I motors after beginning as a supplier of sounding-rocket guidance and control systems.
Action taken
The company incorporated the motors into the Aries guided suborbital-rocket program.
Aftermath
Aries vehicles supported 30 reported launches for microgravity and other scientific experiments over the following two decades.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/space-vector-corporation · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled