MASON, Ohio — Avionics technology produced in Mason will play a crucial role in the Artemis II mission launch on Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Dozens of companies around the state have played a role in the effort to send humans to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years, including L3Harris.
The Florida-based company's space and sensors division, which operates in Mason, produced technology that will be paramount to the mission's Space Launch System, the 322-foot rocket that will carry four astronauts into space in the Orion capsule.
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Jake Hendrickson, Space Avionics Chief Engineer at L3Harris, told us it was "super exciting" to have a part in the mission.
"We all understand the gravity of launching four astronauts in this particular mission. They're going to be the furthest away from Earth that they've ever been," Hendrickson said. "The avionics are really the brain of the launch vehicle."
A team of more than 150 people worked on the hardware, he said.
"Whether it's designing it and engineering, building it and operations and testing it. All of that is done right here in Mason, Ohio," Hendrickson said. "So certainly (there's) a sense of pride in being able to provide the launch vehicle and the avionics behind it that keeps those astronauts safe on the way to the moon."
The technology is embedded throughout the different elements that make up the rocket, helping one of the most complex launch systems work in tandem.
"They control everything that goes on, from ignition start to steering the nozzle to steering the entire launch vehicle," Hendrickson said.
The avionics also collect data from all over the rocket, including temperature, pressure, vibration and load data.
"(There's) over 500 to 1,500 sensors on each stage — getting that data back down to the ground so they can post-process it, ensure everything is working as expected," Hendrickson said. "They're able to make sure that the launch vehicle is going on the right trajectory, and monitor that in real time."
We spoke with Hendrickson right before his flight to Florida to watch the launch. He said a crew of about 20 people from the company will be there with him.
"It's exciting for the individuals that get to go see it. They get to see their hardware and all their hard work come to fruition," Hendrickson said.
There is more work to be done, Hendrickson said, as L3Harris teams are already working on future Artemis missions ahead of Wednesday's historic launch.
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