South Bend, IN – 14 August 2023 – Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MTI) was proud to host NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Company, as well as local leaders for an on-site event that recognized and thanked MTI for its contributions to NASA’s Artemis I program.
On November 16th, 2022, the world watched in awe as NASA officially returned to lunar exploration with the launch of its Artemis I space vessel. The first mission was a success – and that’s largely thanks to contributions from multiple companies across the United States… including MTI.
Bob Besse, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at MTI says, “This achievement not only validates MTI’s commitment to excellence but also highlights the talent and innovation that thrives within the city of South Bend and Northern Indiana.” He adds, “The success is a testament to MTI’s Manufacturing Services team whose work exemplified the highest standards of quality and dedication.”
The on-site celebration was an engaging and exciting opportunity for MTI employees to see the value and the impact of their work. Speakers from NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne prepared a presentation that provided deeper insight for our employees to fully understand the intent and importance of the Artemis mission. Leaders from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and local officials were also able to address MTI’s community, reflecting on this achievement and fostering comradery.
South Bend’s Mayor James Mueller adds, “A lot of our manufacturing base has shifted over the past couple decades but we’re proud that MTI has stood strong and continues to offer state-of-the-art, competitive manufacturing right here in South Bend.”
Pictured above are leaders from NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne as well as South Bend’s Mayor James Mueller with a group of MTI’s employees.
And this is not the first time we have teamed up with Aerojet Rocketdyne for NASA’s space missions. MTI has played an integral role in North America’s return to the moon. In 2016, Aerojet Rocketdyne commissioned MTI to refurbish a Vertical Rotary Friction Welding machine originally built by MTI in 1981 that was used to weld the Powerhead Main Injector used in 135 of NASA’s Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) flights.
Now, the Vertical Rotary Friction Welder is used to weld parts for Aerojet Rocketdyne’s RS-25 engines used in the Artemis I mission, and beyond. The work performed by our team in friction welding components used in the Powerhead Main Injectors of RS-25 engines is crucial, as it forms the structural backbone of the engine. The structural integrity is essential for enabling safe, successful space missions that are at the forefront of scientific discovery and exploration.
MTI looks forward to our continued collaboration with Aerojet Rocketdyne and NASA in the future Artemis programs that aims to land humans on the moon once again, and take humans farther in space than ever before.
About MTI
MTI has established itself as a leader in friction welding, including Rotary, Low Force, Linear, and Friction Stir Welding technologies. In addition to contract manufacturing services, MTI has delivered machines to Boeing, GE, Rolls- Royce, Pratt and Whitney, Federal Mogul, and many of their tier one suppliers. A family owned business founded in 1926, MTI employs over 200 people in their South Bend, United Kingdom, Slovakia, and India locations.
For more information on MTI and its family of world-class friction welding technologies, visit: www.mtiwelding.com.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturing-technology-inc
For additional information about this release, please contact:
Richard Jones
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
richard.jones@mtiwelding.co.uk