Above: Space Development Corp Reg-CF Forum / All Topics
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| Daniel Golbs2025-02-1905:55:35 | Above, the History of the Company and the shares Hey everyone, Due to the lack of information from the company and those responsible, I have gathered as much information as possible on my own. Here I am, sharing my findings with you. The company originally started as Orbital Assembly, with ambitious plans to build rotating space structures. From what I could gather, the company was founded by John Blincow and Tim Alatorre. John Blincow appears to be the driving force behind these ambitions. A former 747 pilot, he seems to have invested some of his wealth into the Gateway Foundation as early as 2012. That same year, he also founded Gateway Spaceport LLC, where he has served as president ever since. The goal of this company was to develop rotating spaceports and a space hotel. At the AIAA conference in Mexico in 2016, Blincow presented his ideas. In early 2018, he launched a Kickstarter campaign titled Drones for Space Operations, which aimed to raise funds for space-based drone technology. However, the campaign only managed to collect around $9,500 and ultimately failed. Blincows vision initially centered around a large rotating space station, which was originally called the Von Braun Station. Gateway Spaceport currently presents a similar concept under the name Vera Station on their website. Their plans include two major structures and a construction system called Sargon Systems, which is designed to use electron beam welding to assemble structures directly in space. The Evolution of Orbital Assembly In mid-2019, Tim Alatorre and John Blincow officially founded Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC). At this stage, the superstructures were renamed Pioneer Station and Voyager Station. However, there may have been diverging opinions between the founders. In April 2021, John Blincow left the company, and Rhonda Stevenson joined as CEO. The company then moved its headquarters to Huntsville, Alabama, near the Rocket Garden. In May 2022, Blincow went on to found Offworld Industries Corporation, which is now seeking funding to develop drones necessary for construction in space. Interestingly, Offworld Industries also refers to their structures as Vera Station, indicating an overlap in vision with Gateway Spaceport LLC. In July 2023, John Blincow sent out an email to members of the Gateway Foundation newsletter, stating that he was looking to sell his shares. He claimed, The stock has gone up from $0.25 per share to $2.25 per share. Given that he reportedly holds millions of shares, this announcement seemed somewhat suspicious. It is also worth noting that all of Blincows businesses are registered at 8780 19th St, Alta Loma, CA, which is merely a shopping centerraising concerns about their legitimacy. Another common characteristic of these businesses is their heavy reliance on crowdfunding. A Shift in Strategy: From Orbital Assembly to Above Space With John Blincows departure and Rhonda Stevensons leadership, Orbital Assembly seemed to shift its strategy towards a more mature and pragmatic business approach. While Blincow's ventures never moved beyond the conceptual stage, Stevenson and Alatorre have taken a more grounded approach. In May 2023, the company rebranded as Above Space, securing new funding from the U.S. Space Force, relocating closer to the aerospace industry, and winning customers for rideshare missions. This shift also meant abandoning the idea of large rotating space stations in favor of more practical, commercially viable in-orbit structures, with a focus on commercial applications and energy supply. Conclusion All of our investments have transitioned into Above Space, moving away from the original vision that may have initially attracted investors like us. Personally, I see this as a positive development. John Blincows inability to push his concepts beyond the visionary stage raises doubts about the long-term sustainability of his companies. He appears to be firmly attached to his original ideas, whereas Above Space's leadership is more adaptable and responsive to market demands. Perhaps the management of Above Space can provide further insights into these developments, but this is the history as I understand it so far. Sources of Information: Above Space: https://abovespace.com Gateway Spaceport LLC: https://gatewayspaceport.com/ Offworld Industries: https://offworldindustriescorp.com/ John Blincow (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-blincow-72027011/ Tim Alatorre (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/timalatorre/ Rhonda Stevenson (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-stevenson/ Kickstarter: Drones for Space Operations https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/522593384/drones-for-space-operations German Rocketry Forum (Gateway Foundation Discussion): https://forum.raumfahrer.net/index.php?topic=16190.0 CNN Article on OAC: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/space-hotel-orbital-assembly-scn/index.html Scott Manleys YouTube Video on OAC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUIK0U0PEgA OAC Presentation on Netcapital: https://netcapital.com/companies/orbital-assembly I hope this may help with answering some questions. With best regards Daniel Golbs, Germany, 286 shares |