What Operator Solutions does

Operator Solutions, Inc. is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) headquartered at its Spaceflight Rescue Facility on Aerospace Drive in Melbourne, Florida, on the Space Coast at the geographic center of U.S. commercial spaceflight activity. The company provides specialized rescue, recovery, and operator support services to U.S. government agencies (notably NASA and DoD) and commercial spaceflight operators, and has been validated as the first commercial human spaceflight rescue capability in the industry. Its core service portfolio spans five pillars: Space Launch & Logistics Support (astronaut rescue, space vehicle/payload recovery, command & control, range safety & surveillance); Civil Search & Rescue (SAR support to civil authorities, high angle, swift water, cruise ship medevac, rescue diving); Consulting (TTP development, vehicle rescue systems design, spacecraft emergency systems testing, personnel recovery); Training/Operator Experiences (open ocean survival, space medicine, survival/spec ops experiences, team building); and Other Competencies (HAZMAT, SCBA/SCUBA, technical extrication).

Underlying the service offering is a fleet of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, watercraft, proprietary aerial delivery systems, and a dedicated command-and-control center. The workforce is 100% veteran, anchored by military Pararescue (PJ) specialists — the only dedicated military special operators qualified to deliver paramedic-level care autonomously anywhere in the world by parachute or open ocean. Founders Brandon Daugherty (Founder & President, retired USAF Pararescueman and Space Contingency Specialist) and Shane Smith (Founder & CFO, retired USAF Wing & MAJCOM Command Chief and HC-130 Aircrew) are supported by CEO Jeff Kingsley (Yale MBA, former USCG) and a high-profile advisory board that includes 4-time Space Shuttle Astronaut Brent Jett, Astronaut Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Scott Parazynski, NASA JSC Chief of Medical Operations Dr. John Clark, former In-Q-Tel CSO Chris Tucker, and Retired USCG Rear Admiral Mark Fedor.

The business model is professional services sold through direct enterprise sales and federal contracting (SAM, DUNS, CAGE registered) with quote-based, undisclosed pricing. Revenue is generated across government services, commercial spaceflight services, civil SAR, consulting, and training streams. Distribution is primarily direct sales to government and enterprise buyers, supplemented by strategic partnerships — most notably a March 2026 strategic partnership with Health First (a healthcare system) to combine emergency trauma and medical expertise with astronaut-rescue capabilities for expanded emergency response offerings.

Name

Operator Solutions

Legal name

Operator Solutions, Inc.

Website

https://os-rescue.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Operator Solutions is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business providing the first validated commercial human spaceflight rescue capability, plus astronaut rescue, space vehicle/payload recovery, civil SAR, and consulting services to NASA, DoD, and commercial spaceflight operators from Florida's Space Coast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Services

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Helicopter Crew Change & Offshore Passenger Transfers (Oil & Gas / Wind) (TLAFACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency, Evacuation & Repatriation Charter Operators (THABADAH), Humanitarian / Relief Airlift Operators (TLADAAAM)

Keywords

• Search and rescue services
• Spaceflight rescue operations
• Personnel recovery support
• Specialized operator training
• Astronaut rescue services

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Services: Rescue, recovery, and specialized operator support services to government agencies, operating with NASA and DoD processes and protocols.
2. Commercial Space Services: Commercial spaceflight rescue, recovery, and logistics support to commercial companies including astronaut rescue and space vehicle/payload recovery.
3. Civil Search and Rescue: SAR support to civil authorities including high angle, swift water, cruise ship medevac, and rescue diver services.
4. Consulting Services: Rescue tactics, techniques & procedures development, vehicle rescue systems design, spacecraft emergency systems testing & evaluation, and personnel recovery consulting.
5. Training Services: Operator experiences training including open ocean water survival, space medicine, survival/spec ops experiences, and team building programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Operator Solutions is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that provides turnkey rescue, recovery, and specialized operator support services to government agencies (NASA, DoD) and commercial spaceflight companies. Its portfolio spans astronaut rescue, space vehicle and payload recovery, command and control, civil search and rescue (SAR), pararescue specialist staffing, rescue consulting (TTP development, vehicle rescue systems design, spacecraft emergency systems testing), and survival/space medicine training. Operations are run from a dedicated command-and-control center on Florida's Space Coast using a fleet of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, watercraft, and aerial delivery systems.

Product overview

Operator Solutions provides a portfolio of specialized rescue, recovery, and operator support services rather than a single unified software product. The company operates as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with a 100% Veteran workforce, offering turnkey specialized operator solutions centered around five core service pillars: Space Launch & Logistics Support (encompassing astronaut rescue, space vehicle/payload recovery, command & control, and range safety), Civil Search & Rescue (SAR) for civil authorities, Consulting services (TTP development, vehicle rescue systems design, spacecraft emergency systems evaluation, personnel recovery), Training (open ocean survival, space medicine, team building), and Other Competencies (high-angle rescue, HAZMAT). The company leverages over 90 years of combined founder experience in search and rescue, recovery, and special operations, serving government agencies and commercial companies from its Florida Space Coast location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Space Launch & Logistics Support
• Civil Search & Rescue (SAR)
• Consulting Services
• Training and Operator Experiences
• Pararescue Specialist Services
• Other Competencies (Technical Rescue and HAZMAT)

Quantifiable outcome

• First Commercial Human Spaceflight Rescue Capability Validated

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Health FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Health First (a healthcare system/hospital) and Operator Solutions formalized a strategic partnership on March 3, 2026. The collaboration combines Health First's emergency trauma and medical expertise with Operator Solutions' critical mission skills. The partnership was celebrated at Operator Solutions' headquarters on Aerospace Drive in Florida, with executives from both companies addressing the audience. The collaboration positions both entities to expand their combined emergency response offerings, bringing together healthcare and astronaut-rescue capabilities for specialized trauma response and critical care.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PHI Aviation: Major helicopter operator providing offshore crew change, medevac, and SAR services to oil & gas and wind clients. Operates a similar rotary-wing personnel-rescue model in complex offshore environments analogous to Operator Solutions' astronaut recovery work.
• CHC Helicopter: Global helicopter operator serving offshore, search and rescue, and emergency medical services for government and energy clients. Comparable in combining offshore helicopter personnel transfer with medevac and SAR mission profiles.
• Bristow Group: Global helicopter services company serving offshore energy, search and rescue, and government clients with rotary-wing fleet operations. Closely comparable in deploying helicopter fleets to perform personnel recovery and medevac missions in harsh conditions.
• RelyOn Nutec: Provider of survival and safety training for the offshore energy and maritime sectors. Comparable in monetizing open-ocean survival and specialist operational training derived from military-grade expertise.
• Air Methods: Largest air medical transport provider in the U.S., operating helicopter EMS and critical care transport services. Comparable in delivering paramedic-level care autonomously via rotary-wing assets and managing complex mission operations.
• Survival Systems USA: Specialist in water survival, helicopter underwater escape, and emergency response training for military, commercial, and government clients. Direct functional overlap with Operator Solutions' open-ocean survival and space medicine training offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Amentum (formerly PAE): Large government services contractor with deep NASA and DoD relationships and government-services SDVOSB-adjacent capabilities. Comparable as a broader incumbent competing for federal aerospace and operational support contracts.
• KBR: Global government services and technology contractor with substantial NASA and defense operational support programs. Comparable as a larger incumbent offering broad aerospace support services.
• Leidos: Major federal aerospace and defense services prime with significant NASA, DoD, and spaceflight operations support work. Comparable as a broader incumbent capable of delivering integrated aerospace/operational support at much larger scale.

Others

• HeliOffshore: Global helicopter safety association representing offshore energy helicopter operators. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem body addressing offshore helicopter safety standards that overlap with Operator Solutions' safety-of-flight mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/operatorsolutions
• Xx.com/RescueSpace
• Facebookfacebook.com/spaceflightrescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/operator-solutions

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Operator Solutions