NASA Hallmark Success Story NASA honors Paragon for Innovative Research
TUCSON, Arizona, April 21 – Paragon Space Development Corporation has been highlighted by NASA as a Hallmark Success Story for successful technology development under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The video was developed by NASA's Langley Research Center's SBIR STTR Office and highlights Paragon’s work on a number of NASA funded projects.
“We greatly appreciate NASA’s recognition of the contributions and capabilities that small and medium businesses bring to Constellation and the Vision for Space Exploration,” said Taber MacCallum, CEO of Paragon Space Development Corporation of Tucson, Arizona.
In recent years, Paragon has worked on several projects that benefit NASA and the space community. Through a NASA-funded SBIR grant, Paragon used its unique thermal analysis and structural design capabilities to develop a new, reduced-weight radiator system for use on America’s next-generation spacecraft, the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle as well as commercial vehicles. NASA is likely to rely on such commercial space services during the interval between the retirement of the space shuttle and the initial flight of Orion and its Ares I launch vehicle. The innovation promises to potentially save the vehicle 30-60% of the mass of the structure and radiator that it would replace on a vehicle.
Paragon Space Development Corporation, founded in 1993, is a full-service aerospace engineering and technology development firm. Paragon is a major supplier of environmental control and life support system and sub-system design for the aerospace industry with expertise in thermal control for orbiting and re-entering spacecraft and hyper-velocity aircraft. For more information, see: www.paragonsdc.com
Tucson space-products firm bringing business down to Earth
By Jack Gillum
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.14.2008
Tucson-based Paragon Space Development Corp. makes radiators and plumbing equipment for the Orion spacecraft in the Constellation program, which NASA will use for its human-spaceflight missions when the space shuttle is retired in the next decade.
The company, which recently opened an office in Washington, D.C., specializes in life-support systems. But it also is looking for new markets other than those for NASA and the space program.
Paragon CEO Taber MacCallum, a former Biosphere 2 crew member, spoke with the Arizona Daily Star this week about how a Tucson company is involved in the next generation of spaceflight, and what the prospects are for Paragon's spacesuit applications here on Earth.
Q: What type of work goes into the Constellation program?
A: We're supporting the overall thermal design of the spacecraft. That means when it's out there in space, we make sure the components won't get too hot or too cold. In space, you have to radiate heat away, in much the same way you feel heat radiate from a fire.
We're also working on the ducting and plumbing of the Orion craft. It turns out to be an incredibly difficult job to plumb the spacecraft and have all those pipes go to the right places — with almost 400 connections.
Q: Outside of Constellation and Orion, what are some key products that Paragon is developing?
A: One of the products is a contaminated-water-diving system that we developed for the Navy that we're soon going to commercialize. We looked at how spacesuits work and asked, "Can we make a diving system that can really isolate the diver from contaminated water they're in?"
Diving systems are designed with the idea that seawater is safe, but even the full diving suits never made a full barrier. With things like the USS Cole bombing (in Yemen), where divers are working in diesel tanks, the divers are working around many solvents.
And the hazmat diving suit is one of Popular Mechanics' inventions of the year. We're working with the Navy for a final series of tests, so it will be part of the Navy's diving equipment.
Q: What does Paragon's new office in Washington, D.C., mean for the company's growth?
A: We kept on finding ourselves flying to Washington for one reason or another. But we needed to go and maintain relationships at NASA headquarters or see a customer on the East Coast. Part of it was proximity. We had an opportunity with an executive, (Chief Strategic Officer) Lance Bush, wanting to move to D.C. Nothing beats a handshake.
Q: What other markets is Paragon pursuing?
A: We do a lot of future technology, such as electrolyzing carbon dioxide to make oxygen. We don't really have a good way to produce all of the crew's oxygen without some other consumable. This new method can produce all the needed oxygen for the crew, and it allows for long spaceflight or (space) bases.
We also look at the extreme environments that people work on here on Earth. Are there things we can design that make firefighting safe, for example, such as reducing their exposure to pollutants in a burning building?
Q: Why would a space-development company such as Paragon stay and grow in Southern Arizona?
A: Because it's a wonderful state. One of the main reasons we're here is because of Biosphere 2, mostly by legacy. It's also because the University of Arizona is a world-class research institution. Raytheon (Missile Systems) helps create and support industry in Tucson. And we're in a good location, with a radius to customers in Denver, Houston and Los Angeles. It's an attractive place for people to move to.
TUCSON, Arizona, August 1 – Paragon Space Development Corporation, headquartered in Tucson, Arizona announces the opening of their Washington DC office, expanding now to four locations including, Denver and Houston.
Dr. Lance Bush is the head of the Washington office and is now the Chief Strategic Officer of Paragon. Dr. Bush has significant experience in Washington and with the space community, having served with NASA for almost 20 years and at NASA Headquarters in a role spanning human spaceflight, life sciences, commercialization and international relations. Dr. Bush previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of Paragon and is thrilled to bring his experience to this new position.
Taber MacCallum, CEO of Paragon, stated: “Paragon strives to exceed its customer’s expectations and we want to be vertically integrated with our customers and their leadership in the Washington area. We are proud that our customers have continued to appreciate our work, helping us grow to this level and we hope this new office will extend our service to them even further.”
Paragon was recently honored by Popular Science Magazine for their invention of the contaminated-water dive system, developed for the US Navy. Paragon's innovation in the dive system for an extreme environment is a contributing factor for their growth in the space industry. Paragon invests in a broad range of R&D for extreme environments. Paragon, as a subcontractor to Oceaneering, helped win the contract award for the Constellation Space Suit and also supports Lockheed Martin for the Orion program.
PARAGON WINS CONTRACT WITH OCEANEERING TO DESIGN FUTURE SPACESUIT TO THE MOON
Constellation Spacesuit NASA has awarded a contract to Oceaneering International Inc. of Houston, for the design, development and production of a new spacesuit system. The spacesuit will protect astronauts during Constellation Program voyages to the International Space Station and, by 2020, the surface of the moon.
The subcontractors to Oceaneering are Air-Lock Inc. of Milford, Conn., David Clark Co. of Worcester, Mass., Cimarron Software Services Inc. of Houston, Harris Corporation of Palm Bay, Fla., Honeywell International Inc. of Glendale, Ariz., Paragon Space Development Corp. of Tucson, Ariz., and United Space Alliance of Houston.
"The award of the spacesuit contract completes the spaceflight hardware requirements for the Constellation Program's first human flight in 2015," said Jeff Hanley, Constellation program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Contracts for the Orion crew capsule and the Ares I rocket were awarded during the past two years.
The cost-plus-award-fee spacesuit contract includes a basic performance period from June 2008 to September 2014 that has a value of $183.8 million. During the performance period, Oceaneering and its subcontractors will conduct design, development, test, and evaluation work culminating in the manufacture, assembly, and first flight of the suit components needed for astronauts aboard the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The basic contract also includes initial work on the suit design needed for the lunar surface.
"I am excited about the new partnership between NASA and Oceaneering," said Glenn Lutz, project manager for the spacesuit system at Johnson. "Now it is time for our spacesuit team to begin the journey together that ultimately will put new sets of boot prints on the moon."
Suits and support systems will be needed for as many as four astronauts on moon voyages and as many as six space station travelers. For short trips to the moon, the suit design will support a week's worth of moon walks. The system also must be designed to support a significant number of moon walks during potential six-month lunar outpost expeditions. In addition, the spacesuit and support systems will provide contingency spacewalk capability and protection against the launch and landing environment, such as spacecraft cabin leaks.
Two contract options may be awarded in the future as part of this contract. Option 1 covers completion of design, development, test and evaluation for the moon surface suit components. Option 1 would begin in October 2010 and run through September 2018, under a cost-plus-award fee structure with a total value of $302.1 million.
Option 2 provides for the Orion suit production, processing and sustaining engineering under a cost-plus-award fee or a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract structure with a maximum value of $260 million depending on hardware requirements. Option 2 would begin at the end of the basic performance period in October 2014, and would continue through September 2018.
2008 INVENTION AWARD WINNER Paragon Dive System receives Popular Science Magazine 2008 Invention Award
TUCSON, Arizona, May 10 - Popular Science Magazine (June 2008) has awarded one of its 2008 Invention Awards to Paragon Space Development Corporation for development of the Paragon Dive System™.
Our nation’s commercial and military divers are often called upon to dive in the most polluted and hazardous environments imaginable. They conduct recovery operations resulting from terrorist attacks such as the one on the USS Cole. They dive on aircraft wrecks like Swissair Flight 111 and TWA Flight 800. There is a continuing threat of chemical warfare agent contamination, biological warfare agents, and disease from pollution in our oceans and waterways.
Current diving equipment is not designed to operate in contaminated conditions, much less protect the diver from exposure to hazardous chemicals in the water. “Their diving equipment can deteriorate to the point of contamination breakthrough and failure in a matter of minutes, compromising the equipment on which the diver’s life depends.” said Taber MacCallum, CEO of Paragon Space Development Corporation of Tucson, Arizona.
A few years ago the U.S. Navy asked small businesses to propose innovative solutions to the problem, and asked them to use as much of the existing Navy hardware as possible. Paragon proposed a system that would provide “space suit-like” encapsulation of the diver. Paragon redesigned and retrofitted existing diving equipment with a send-and-return air umbilical, new materials, and many other upgrades. “As far as I am aware, no other system addresses the dump valve in this way. The suit fully encapsulates the diver.” says Lt. James Pearson, the manager of the Navy’s contaminated-water diving program. The improved system prevents the diver from coming into contact with contaminated water. In 2007, the Navy completed initial prototype testing of the system, and further testing of military production units are planned for 2008. Paragon is now beginning manufacture of the Paragon Dive System™ to meet the needs of the commercial Hazmat diving market.
Paragon at National Space Symposium
Paragon and Wyle continue their marketing partnership at the National Space Symposium
TUCSON, Arizona, April 2 – Paragon Space Development Corporation and Wyle will partner again in their participation at the 24th National Space Symposium on April 7-10, 2008, in Colorado Springs at The Broadmoor Hotel.
The National Space Symposium is the premier U.S. space policy and program forum, a "must attend" opportunity for information and interaction on all sectors of space -- civil, commercial, and national security. The push for space continues in all sectors, and "Our Expanding Universe...50 Years of Space Exploration" sets the tone for the event. As we push forward, we'll also look back at the many accomplishments in space as 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of space exploration.
Paragon has a strong history of working with spacecraft and aircraft teams to solve the most challenging problems, specializing in complex thermal analysis and thermal control system designs. This allows for a more customized solution for each specific need along with practical Environmental Control and Life Support systems, human factors and crew systems solutions optimized for specific applications in extreme environments.
Wyle’s expertise is in space medicine and human performance in space which means they can ensure space flight customers are prepared for flight. Through its life sciences services contracts with NASA, Wyle has supported more than two-thirds of all people who have traveled into space.
Taken together, this combined approach to passenger health and life support can help reduce the overall risk of spaceflight, and potentially reduce the liability costs incurred by the commercial spaceflight companies.
Paragon Space Development Corporation founded in 1993, is a full-service aerospace engineering and technology development firm. Paragon is a major supplier of Environmental Control and Life Support System and sub-system design for the aerospace industry with expertise in thermal control for orbiting and re-entering spacecraft and hyper-velocity aircraft. For more information, see: www.paragonsdc.com
Wyle Laboratories, Inc., a privately held company headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., is a leader in providing high tech aerospace engineering, testing and research services to commercial, industrial, and government customers. The company also provides life sciences services, special test systems and other technical support services to the aerospace, defense, nuclear power, communications, and transportation industries. For more information, see: www.wylelabs.com
Paragon published in "Inside NASA" Deputy Administrator's Shana Dale’s corner
Paragon Space Development Corporation Dec 28, 200706:30:54 PM | Shana Dale
NASA drives innovation, which creates new jobs, new markets and new
technologies through a modest investment of less than six-tenths of one
percent of the overall federal budget.
Paragon Space Development Corporation in Tucson, Ariz., is one example.
Paragon is a woman-owned small business specializing in aerospace
engineering and technology development. Paragon is an innovative
company in its own right, and also is an example of the creative ways
NASA works with local governments and small businesses to create better
opportunities for all.
As a recipient of a NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
grant, Paragon developed a new, reduced weight radiator system for use
on America's next-generation spacecraft, the Orion Crew Exploration
Vehicle. Orion, and Ares I, the rocket that will carry it, are
progressively moving from contracts to equipment tests. All major
contracts for the Ares I were awarded in 2007, and component testing has
already begun.
Paragon credits the Arizona Department of Commerce and the Arizona
governor's FAST Grant Award (Federal And State Technology partnership
program) for the seed funds that led to the NASA SBIR grant. Paragon
used its $5,000 FAST grant award to write its initial proposal to NASA.
The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Arizona Department of
Commerce fund the FAST Grant program. It focuses on returning federal
>grants for Arizona-based companies, and creating new jobs and new
jobs in America.
Paragon's success shows how industry teamed with government at the local
and federal levels can spur innovation and create the jobs that build
stronger communities. "We've received, over the last three years, $1.4
million in grants that we can attribute to that $5,000 worth of
assistance from the state. That's a pretty good rate of return for the
state," said Taber McCallum, chief executive officer and co-founder of
Paragon.
Paragon Space Development Corporation shows how NASA-driven innovations
are benefiting commercial concerns across the country. They prove that
the nation's modest investment in NASA produces powerful returns.
The story has the by line of Shana Dale (the NASA Deputy Administrator) herself, and is distributed on an internal NASA website, some people may not have access so here is. (The on line story includes pictures of our CEO and President.)
Tucson-based Paragon Space Development Corp. makes radiators and plumbing equipment for the Orion spacecraft in the Constellation program, which NASA will use for its human-spaceflight missions when the space shuttle is retired in the next decade.
Suits and support systems will be needed for as many as four astronauts on moon voyages and as many as six space station travelers. For short trips to the moon, the suit design will support a week's worth of moon walks. The system also must be designed to support a significant number of moon walks during potential six-month lunar outpost expeditions. In addition, the spacesuit and support systems will provide contingency spacewalk capability and protection against the launch and landing environment, such as spacecraft cabin leaks.