The Start of Something Big

Company founded to provide high-performance composite structures to the aerospace industry.

First Bus Structure

Vanguard is awarded its first Bus Structure contract for the Broadcasting Satellite Corporation's BSAT-2c satellite, which successfully launches in June 2003.

Missile Flange Development

Raytheon selects Vanguard for the design, development and production of the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) missile flange, the primary structure of the EKV missile.

Inaugural Reflector Program

Orbital Sciences Corporation awards Vanguard its first Dual Shell Gridded Reflector program for the TELKOM-2 satellite, which was built for PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia India's state-owned telecommunications company.   The satellite, completed in 2004, successfully launches in November 2005.

Reflectors, Structures and ISO Certification

Schafer Corporation names Vanguard as the lead on the design, analysis, fabrication and testing of a three-mirror astigmatic Telescope Structure.

SingTel Optus Pty. Limited, the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, chooses Vanguard to build Dual Shell Gridded Reflectors.

Vanguard receives ISO 9001 certification.

Solar Power Beginnings

Vanguard earns AS 9100 certification.

We begin development on our solar power systems products.

Support for Lunar Reconnaissance Missions

Vanguard delivers Camera Structures and Sun Shades for three lunar reconnaissance cameras.

Yamal-300 and the Fast 500™

Vanguard completes the reflectors and sub-reflectors for the Yamal-300 communications satellite, which launched November 2, 2012.

The company is also named to Deloitte's Technology Fast 500™ list.

Success Drives Industry Recognition, Expansion

Lockheed Martin chooses Vanguard for the SBIRS GEO-3 Bus Structure. The Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellites are designed to provide missile warning and defense as well as battlespace characterization.   Both organizations re-team for SBIRS GEO-4.

In May, Orbital Sciences Corporation recognizes Vanguard for outstanding achievement, based on its high-quality structural components and commitment to meeting important project milestones.

In June, Vanguard relocates to a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

We begin transition-to-flight of our solar power systems products through Phase III SBIR commercialization programs and solar panel flight experiments.

From Solar Arrays to Subcontractor Awards

Vanguard receives its first large Solar Array Substrates award from Lockheed Martin.   The project includes tool design, fabrication and assembly.

Nogales Investors acquires controlling interest in our company.  

In November, Vanguard invests in a separate spacecraft assembly and test facility, expanding our total manufacturing, assembly and test space to nearly 80,000 square feet.

Boeing awards Vanguard a Superior Subcontractor Performance Award in recognition of our invaluable contributions to the Fast Access Spacecraft Testbed (FAST) program.

New Leadership and Continued Growth

Frank Belknap is appointed Vanguard chief executive officer.

Jon DeVault is named chairman of the board after serving as interim chief executive officer.

Vanguard completes the Single Shell, Single Shell Deployable and Nadir Tower Reflectors for the Intelsat IS-18 satellite after providing reflectors for IS-11, IS-15 and IS-16.   IS-18 successfully launches in 2011.

Vanguard also delivers Bus Structure panels to Orbital Sciences Corporation for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Autonomous Nanosatellite Guardian for Evaluating Local Space (ANGELS) satellite program.      

10 Years of Space Heritage

Vanguard celebrates 10 years of space heritage by completing the:

• Reflectors for the Express AM5 and AM6
satellites
• Nadir Tower Reflector for Intelsat's IS-23
and Orbital Sciences' Azerspace satellites
• Bus Structures for NASA's Interface
Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)
mission and OCO-2 spacecraft observatory

We also receive special recognition from:

• NASA - For superior service by the program
team
• MacDonald Dettwiler Corp. and Associates - 
For work on the AM5 and AM6 satellites

NASA, Lockheed and a New Autoclave

Vanguard completes a reflector for NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft and delivers—six weeks early—the key composite hardware for the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), which is counting down to a 2013 launch.

In addition, Vanguard begins work on 32 electromagnetically clean solar panels for NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission.

In May, Vanguard announces a multi-million dollar subcontract for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) SV5 and SV6 satellite Bus Structures.

In July, a new 12' x 25' autoclave is added, the largest of our four autoclaves.

And by December, the company announces enhancements to its thermal distortion testing capabilities with the addition of a new thermal vacuum chamber.