A Lewiston manufacturer of high-performance tungsten and molybdenum components for the aerospace market recently supplied parts that will play a role in a mission that will bring astronauts to the moon for the first time in 50 years.
Elmet Technologies made components for the NASA space launch system rocket that will be used to launch the Orion space capsule in NASA’s Artemis program.
The first Artemis mission will be an uncrewed flight to the moon and back, while the second Artemis mission will be a crewed flight. According to NASA, the space launch system rocket and Orion spacecraft are scheduled to be on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 4. The agency has targeted a launch date of Nov. 14.
Specific to the program, Elmet manufactured aerospace-grade tungsten heavy alloy ballast weights used for the heatshield in the Orion capsule.
Other programs involving Elmet components include Dragonfly, a NASA mission scheduled to launch in 2026 and land on Titan in 2034. Elmet molybdenum parts are expected to play a key role in processing samples.
Elmet is involved in supplying several key tungsten heavy alloy products and processes to support ongoing aerospace projects. For this most recent project, Elmet’s included manufacturing tungsten heavy alloy ballast weights used for the Heatshield, with parts ranging from 7 to 33 pounds.
The job included pressing, sintering and machining performed onsite in Lewiston, plus mechanical and ultrasonic testing designed to meet stringent specifications and documentation requirements.
Over the past few years, Elmet has adapted to the needs of the aerospace market with new investments in tooling, technology and quality processes, and expanded its product portfolio to meet new material specifications and demands.