NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. — The proud aerospace history of Western New York is once again in the spotlight with NASA's latest efforts to return to the Moon.
That would be the mighty Artemis Rocket also known as the Space Launch System. It's expected sometime late next year that NASA will send four astronauts to circle the Moon in the Artemis Two mission.
And that crew will literally be depending for their safety on equipment made by Taylor Devices right here in Western New York.
A thunderous, stirring sight was seen last November in the night sky over Florida. NASA's unmanned Artemis One rocket soared into space for an around the Moon test flight of its new Space Launch System. It will carry crews back to the lunar surface and eventually to Mars. So today at Taylor Devices in North Tonawanda, there was a big Thank You for employees from NASA managers.
Shawn Quinn, who is NASA Exploration Ground Services Manager covering vehicle assembly, actual launch, and recovery told Taylor Devices staffers on Tuesday.
"It really can't be overstated how important .your work is for the success of the Artemis program."
It is recognition for a company really known for manufacturing shock absorbers like devices known as seismic dampers which protect buildings and bridges from earthquakes. The equipment line in part stems from its NASA work since the mid-1960s Apollo Moon missions. The company produced .components to control vibration. Some allow the connecting umbilical cables on the launch tower to precisely pull away for a clean, safe lift-off.
Quinn says, "Those dampening systems help absorb the energy from that impact. Plays a critical role in the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion Spacecraft. And so we share that information when we visit companies like Taylor Devices and say 'Hey what you do is incredibly important.'"
And now at liftoff, described by some as "violent" with 8.8 million pounds of thrust, Taylor's vibration controls protect the Orion crew capsule's thermal tiles which must get the capsule and crew back safely through the 5,000-degree flaming re-entry.
Frank Lin is a NASA Manger for the Orion/Artemis Program.
"These devices that Taylor Devices produce for us - it's mounted between the OJAI panel and the crew module to make sure that it doesn't come in contact with the crew module and damage those fragile tiles."
So one might think that must be cool for Taylor people to watch the Artemis missions. But Douglas Taylor, who is the former company president and now company business consultant says with great candor "It's not cool - I'm scared to death
Reporter: What do you mean to make sure things work right?
Taylor: Yeah. In the old days with Apollo, once the bird left the pad we could all breathe a sigh of relief. Now we have to worry about the entire mission."
The NASA visitors honored the company and employees with special plaques recognizing their quality workmanship and commitment.
2 On Your Side asked Taylor Devices Chief Engineer Don Horne "Reporter: What goes through your mind when you're thinking about - gotta make sure this works right - it has to work right?
Horne: responded "Right. There's a lot of stress and time put in to ensure our designs are successful."
Taylor Devices President Alan Klembczyk says, "Coming out of the University of Buffalo I never dreamed I was going to be able to be part of a space program. And now 35 years later I'm very, very proud to see us still in it..It's not easy to be in the space business. (Late President ) John F. Kennedy, years before I was born said 'We choose to go to the Moon and do the other things not because they're easy but because they are hard.' And they are hard. There's a lot of quality requirements, design requirements, and environmental - it's very hard to put a product into space. And I'm very proud that Taylor Devices has been with the space program since the mid 60's"
Overall NASA, like the old days of the space program before Space X and Blue Origin, has some 3,800 suppliers on the Artemis rocket program like Taylor Devices and of course other local companies like Moog, Eaton, Ingram Micro, Cobham, and more.
It is an aerospace corporate team for these space missions.
.