What Does MSSS Do?

Total employees235
HeadquartersSan Diego
Founded1982

Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) is a San Diego-based private company specializing in the design, development, construction, and operation of cameras and instruments for unmanned spacecraft. Founded in 1990 by Dr. Michael C. Malin, MSSS has provided critical imaging technology for numerous NASA missions, including those to Mars (like the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Science Laboratory 'Curiosity' rover, Mars 2020 'Perseverance' rover), the Moon (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter), and other celestial bodies. Their expertise lies in creating robust, high-performance scientific instruments that capture vital data and imagery, significantly advancing our understanding of the solar system.

Where Is MSSS's Headquarters?

HQ Function

The headquarters serves as the primary hub for research and development, instrument design, engineering, assembly, calibration, testing, and mission operations for their spaceflight hardware and scientific investigations.

Notable Features:

The facility likely includes state-of-the-art clean rooms for instrument assembly, specialized laboratories for environmental testing and calibration of sensitive optics and electronics, and secure mission operations centers.

Work Culture:

MSSS fosters a highly specialized, research-driven, and collaborative work environment. The culture is characterized by a strong focus on precision engineering, scientific discovery, innovation in space exploration technology, and mission success.

HQ Significance:

This location is the heart of MSSS's operations, where groundbreaking space cameras and instruments for numerous landmark NASA and international missions are conceived, built, and managed, playing a pivotal role in planetary science.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters operations reflect MSSS's core values of scientific integrity, technological innovation, meticulous engineering, reliability, and a profound commitment to advancing human knowledge through space exploration.

Location:

While Malin Space Science Systems is primarily based at its headquarters in San Diego, California, its global and interplanetary presence is established through the instruments and cameras deployed on spacecraft exploring various celestial bodies across the solar system. They collaborate with international space agencies, such as KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute), and scientific institutions worldwide. The data and images captured by MSSS instruments are utilized by a global community of researchers, extending their scientific impact far beyond national borders. Their hardware operates on NASA and international missions, contributing to global scientific understanding.

Street Address:

10158 Pacific Heights Blvd, Suite 100

City:

San Diego

State/Province:

CA

Country:

USA

Where Else Does MSSS Operate Around the World?

No additional office locations available.

Buying Intent Signals for MSSS

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading MSSS? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, MSSS' leadership includes:

Dr. Michael C. Malin - Founder, President, and Chief Scientist
Michael Ravine - Vice President, Advanced Development & Chief Technical Officer
Jeff Nunn - Vice President, Operations

Who's Investing in MSSS?

MSSS has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Privately Held
Primarily funded through competitive government contracts (e.g., with NASA)

What Leadership Changes Has MSSS Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

Publicly available information and news searches within the last 12 months do not indicate any major executive hires or departures at Malin Space Science Systems. The company's leadership team appears to be stable, focusing on ongoing and future space missions.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byMSSS?

Discover the tools MSSS uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

MSSS Email Formats and Examples

Malin Space Science Systems likely utilizes standard professional email formats. Based on publicly available information for key personnel (e.g., `malin@msss.com` for the founder, `edgett@msss.com` for a senior scientist), a common pattern appears to be `lastname@msss.com` or `firstinitiallastname@msss.com` for general staff. For example, 'John Doe' might be 'jdoe@msss.com' or 'doe@msss.com'.

[first_initial][last]@msss.com or [last]@msss.com

Format

jdoe@msss.com

Example

70%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About MSSS?

NASAJanuary 25, 2024

MSSS-built ShadowCam Maps Shackleton Crater Floor in Unprecedented Detail

NASA's ShadowCam instrument, built by Malin Space Science Systems and flying on the Korea Aerospace Research Institute's Danuri lunar orbiter, has successfully mapped the floor of Shackleton crater near the Moon's south pole in unprecedented detail. These images reveal features within permanently shadowed regions, crucial for understanding lunar resources like water ice....more

NASA Mars Exploration ProgramFebruary 15, 2024

MSSS Cameras on Perseverance Rover Mark Three Years of Mars Exploration

Cameras developed and operated by Malin Space Science Systems, including the Mastcam-Z stereo imaging system and engineering cameras (Navcams, Hazcams) on NASA's Perseverance rover, celebrated three years of successful operations on Mars. These instruments have delivered thousands of images and critical data, contributing to key scientific discoveries in Jezero Crater regarding Mars's past habitability....more

NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryOctober 25, 2023

MSSS Technology Contributes to Lucy Mission's First Asteroid Encounter Images

Malin Space Science Systems provided the L’TES (Lucy Thermal Emission Spectrometer) electronics and the L’LORRI (Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager) digital electronics for NASA's Lucy mission. The mission captured its first images of asteroid Dinkinesh, with MSSS components playing a role in instrument functionality for this historic Trojan asteroid flyby....more

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