Building on the success of the Artemis I mission, Honeywell has provided multiple critical technologies for NASA's Artemis II launch and ongoing mission around the moon. The technologies support several aspects of future planned NASA missions to return astronauts to the moon and Mars. Under contract to Lockheed Martin, NASA’s prime contractor for the Orion spacecraft, Honeywell technology will play an increasingly critical role in the Orion spacecraft as Artemis missions continue over the next decade.
Honeywell technologies enabling the current mission include the full navigation and guidance system for the Artemis II launch vehicle, as well as data handling, the vehicle management computer, display units and avionics software. These components allow the spacecraft to precisely navigate throughout the mission, from launch to the far side of the moon and back to Earth. In addition to navigation, Honeywell components will help control the thrust and power of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, the most powerful launch vehicle ever built, and thrusters on the crew’s Orion spacecraft.
"The return to the moon represents a major milestone for NASA and humanity, one that Honeywell is honored to help enable with our critical space technologies aboard Artemis," said Jim Currier, president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace.
"It is a point of pride that Honeywell has been trusted to support every crewed NASA space mission. Our legacy is built on responsibility, precision and innovation, driven by people who care deeply and are inspired to help shape the future of human spaceflight," saidJim Currier, president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace.
Honeywell will provide 14 product types for crewed Artemis missions II through V, including both hardware and software solutions, to support NASA's lunar missions. Among the Honeywell technologies included on the missions are:
- Guidance and Navigation Systems: Key navigation and guidance solutions, including the barometric altimeter, which tracks the altitude of the Orion capsule in Earth's atmosphere, as well as the inertial measurement system and GPS receiver, which track the position and movements of the capsule.
- Command Data Handling: Several data-handling products, including the vehicle management computer, which acts as the central computing platform supporting flight and vehicle control, as well as spacecraft communication functions.
- Displays and Controls: Three display units and struts, seven control panels and two hand controllers used inside the spacecraft to help astronauts in the Orion capsule monitor and control the vehicle.
- Core Flight Software: Includes the integrated modular avionics software, a key system responsible for supporting maintenance functions sharing flight data information.