Windsor Locks manufacturer Collins Aerospace will provide equipment for NASA’s Orion spacecraft fleet under a new $320 million contract with Maryland-based defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
As part of the deal, Collins, a division of Farmington-based United Technologies Corp., will make equipment for spacecraft meant to bring humans to the moon by 2024, and establish a sustained presence on the moon to prepare for missions to Mars, according to Collins.
“We’re proud to be working with Lockheed Martin and NASA to enable decades of future exploration to the Moon, Mars and beyond,” Kevin Raftery, Collins’ vice president and general manager, ISR and space solutions, said.
Collins will build the materials at facilities in Windsor Locks, Houston, Rockford, Ill., and San Dimas, Calif., according to Collins.
Equipment Collins will build for the Orion fleet includes:
- Environmental control and life-support systems that maintain a healthy and comfortable environment for the crew both in the spacecraft cabin and while isolated in launch and re-entry suits.
- Active thermal control systems, which provide liquid circulation throughout the spacecraft picking up waste heat from the crew and vehicle electronics.
- Power management and distribution hardware, providing power connectivity from external power sources and conditioned power to the crew and service modules.
- Waste management systems to promote crewmember comfort and vehicle cleanliness.
