Photo: Redwire

AE Industrial Partners (AEI), a private equity firm dealing in the aerospace, defense, and government services markets, will form a new space-focused platform called Redwire following two recent acquisitions, the firm announced Monday.

The firm recently acquired Deep Space Systems (DSS), which develops integrated spacecraft, fully qualified payloads, data acquisition, and embedded software. The company has worked on programs including the International Space Station, and the Lockheed Martin and Airbus-driven Orion crew vehicle in development for NASA. In March 2020, AEI acquired Adcole Space, which provides satellite components for spacecraft performing Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO), Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and interplanetary missions to Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto.

Together, these two companies will form Redwire, which will design and develop mission critical systems and electronics “in support of the next space architecture,” AEI said in a Monday press release.

“DSS and Adcole Space have been at the forefront of space exploration for decades and together, as part of a single space focused company in Redwire, have the unmatched flight heritage and demonstrated innovation to address the growing demand for the next generation of space systems and components,” said Peter Cannito, an operating partner at AEI, in the release.

The goal of Redwire is a “one-stop shop for complex space exploration products and services,” said Steve Bailey, DSS president. The companies expect that the additional scale and complementary customer capabilities will prove to be enablers for their respective customer bases.

This article was originally published by our sister publication, Defense Daily.