Collins Aerospace to Provide Critical Subsystems for NASA’s Orion Spacecraft

Artist’s rendering of NASA’s Orion spacecraft. (Graphic courtesy of Lockheed) Martin

Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., has signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to provide critical subsystems to support production of NASA’s Orion spacecraft fleet for Artemis missions III through VIII. Valued at $320 million, the systems being provided by Collins Aerospace will play an important role in enabling NASA’s goal of boots on the Moon by 2024, as well as establishing a sustained presence on and around the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.

The key subsystems for Orion to be provided by Collins Aerospace include:

  • 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

Work for the systems being provided for Orion will be performed at Collins Aerospace facilities in:

  • Windsor Locks, Connecticut
  • Houston, Texas
  • Rockford, Illinois
  • San Dimas, California

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