Simsbury Manufacturer Plays Critical Role in NASA’s Artemis II Crewed Lunar Mission 

SIMSBURY, CT & MOORPARK, CA — April 2026 — Hardware designed and built by Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense (EBAD) performed successfully during NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years. The milestone mission — and EBAD’s role in supporting it — generated widespread media coverage across national, regional, aerospace, manufacturing, and defense publications following the company’s official announcement.

During the historic 10-day mission, four astronauts traveled approximately 1.4 million miles around the Moon before safely returning to Earth at speeds reaching 24,500 mph. Artemis II validated the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft systems ahead of future lunar landing missions and long-term human exploration initiatives.

EBAD, which employs more than 530 people in Simsbury, Connecticut and more than 300 employees in Moorpark, California, provided Flight Termination System, initiation, and stage separation components for the SLS rocket in support of Boeing and Northrop Grumman. The company also supplied critical separation hardware for Lockheed Martin’s Orion spacecraft, including systems supporting the Crew Module, Launch Abort System, and Service Module.

Each separation and initiation event executed as designed, enabling proper vehicle staging and contributing to overall mission success and astronaut safety.

All Artemis II hardware was developed, qualified, and rigorously tested at EBAD facilities in Simsbury and Moorpark. The company conducts extensive in-house shock and vibration testing while validating performance under extreme environmental conditions, including severe heat and cold. Every component undergoes inspection, testing, and verification to ensure mission readiness and one-time reliability.

“From right here in Connecticut and our California facility, our employees contributed to one of the most significant human spaceflight missions in decades,” said Jennifer Lewis, President of EBAD. “Artemis II represents progress, persistence, and partnership. We are proud to stand alongside NASA and our industry partners in enabling the next chapter of exploration.”

Lisa Brown, EBAD’s Market Segment Director for Space & Launch Vehicles, emphasized the importance of precision and reliability in supporting human spaceflight missions.

“For our employees, our customer missions are the reason we are here,” Brown said. “Every customer mission is critical, but there is something special about building and providing hardware for the first astronaut mission beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 years. Our team spends a significant amount of time inspecting, testing, and verifying the hardware because it must work the first time.”

EBAD has supported the Artemis program since 2008 and previously contributed to the successful Artemis I mission. In 2024, NASA and prime contractor representatives visited EBAD’s Simsbury facility to recognize employees for their contributions to the Artemis program.

The announcement of EBAD’s successful support of Artemis II was featured by numerous media outlets spanning aerospace, manufacturing, regional business, and defense sectors. Coverage highlighted EBAD’s role in enabling critical launch and spacecraft systems, the company’s Connecticut and California workforce, and its longstanding partnership supporting NASA’s deep space exploration initiatives.

Check Out the Earned Media Coverage

• The Acorn
• Pacific Coast Business Times
• Hartford Business Journal
• WTIC Radio 
• SatNews 
• Business News Today
• Business Post Examiner 
• Business Times 
• Business Times Journal 
• Connecticut Business Harold 
• Connecticut Daily Journal 
• NEWSnet Los Angeles 
• Satellites News Today
• Sci-Tech News Network
• The Hartford Post
• News 8 WTNH
• Airline Industry Today 
• Cape Cod Times  

The widespread coverage reinforced EBAD’s position as a trusted aerospace and defense partner delivering mission-critical systems for some of the world’s most demanding space programs.

As NASA prepares for future lunar landings and long-term exploration missions, EBAD remains committed to delivering reliable systems that support safe and successful human spaceflight.

For more information about EBAD’s capabilities, visit: https://ebad.com/capabilities/