 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Robotics Space |
| Founded | January 1, 1983; 42 years ago (1983-01-01) |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 3 Locations (3 Facilities) |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Kiel Davis (CEO) |
| Revenue | $75 million USD |
Number of employees | 284 (2023) |
| Parent | Blue Origin |
| Website | www |
Honeybee Robotics, LLC is an American subsidiary ofBlue Origin that builds advancedspacecraft,robotic rovers,[1] and other technologies for the exploration of Mars[2][3] and other planetary bodies indeep space. The company, headquartered inLongmont, Colorado, has additional facilities inAltadena, California andGreenbelt, Maryland.[4] The company has 284 employees[5] and creates exploration systems, infrastructure systems, and motion control software for theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), theJapanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA),Blue Origin, and other customers. On May 19th, 2023, Honeybee Robotics' parent company,Blue Origin, won a $3.4 Billion contract to build a moon lander and additional spacecraft for NASA's Artemis program.[6] The team, led byBlue Origin, is a partnership betweenLockheed Martin,Draper,Boeing,Astrobotic, and Honeybee Robotics.[7]
Honeybee Robotics was founded in January 1983[8] by Steve Gorevan and Chris Chapman as a systems integrator using off-the-shelf robots. The company's first offices were above a piano shop on the Lower East Side of New York City. Their early work included robotic arms, robot end-effectors, and smart task-oriented electromechanical systems for companies includingIBM,Allied Signal, The Salk Institute, Merck,3M, andCon Edison.Honeybee Robotics received its firstNASA contract in 1986 and continues to receive contracts to design and develop space systems.[9]
Honeybee Robotics was acquired by Ensign-Bickford Industries in 2017. In 2018, Avior Control Technologies was acquired by Ensign-Bickford Industries, which then merged Avior with Honeybee in 2019. Avior had been founded in 2010 by Scott Starin to design and manufacture motion-control components including custom motors, gearboxes, dampers, transducers, and actuators for the space, aerospace, and down-hole industries. In January 2022, Honeybee Robotics was sold to Blue Origin.[10]
In February 2023, the company shipped the Phobos Mining System to theJapanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and has also partnered with NASA and theJapanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to study the Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos.[11][12]
On May 19, 2023, Honeybee Robotics' parent company, Blue Origin, won a $3.4 Billion contract to build a Moon lander and additional spacecraft for NASA's Artemis program.[6] The team, led byBlue Origin, is a partnership betweenLockheed Martin,Draper,Boeing,Astrobotic, and Honeybee Robotics.[13]
Honeybee Robotics has particular expertise in developing and operating small mechanical tools used on Mars missions. Some of the company's robotic devices that have been used onMars include:
The company is now helping design instruments for NASA'sVIPER rover.[17]
Honeybee Robotics develops systems for future planet missions that will explore theSolar System including Mars,[18]Venus, theMoon, twoJovian moons,[18] an asteroid,[19] and a comet[20] among others. The company has partnered withBigelow Aerospace to develop a preliminary design for asolar array deployment mechanism that was used on the solar arrays of Bigelow'sGenesis inflatable space habitat. Terrestrial projects include developing mechanisms, installations, and systems for a broad array of clients includingCon Edison, theU.S. Navy,Coca-Cola,Nike, and architectsDiller Scofidio + Renfro.[21]
In December, 2022, NASA awarded Honeybee Robotics a contract to provide several systems for the upcomingMars Sample Return mission. These include the Capture, Containment, and Retrieval System (CCRS), Earth Entry System (EES), and Spin Eject Mechanism (SEM).[22]
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