EAST AURORA, N.Y. (WKBW) — There's always a Western New York connection!
Moog Products, based in East Aurora, provided products that helped NASA's Perseverance Rover make a successful landing on Mars, Thursday afternoon.
Moog Products designed, built, and tested several components essential to the mission, which included throttle valve assemblies, that controlled the entry spacecraft’s engines during the final descent.
Moog also had actuators which steered the launch vehicle out of Earth’s atmosphere, when the rover launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. on July 30th, 2020.
Valves and filters from Moog will help keep the Rover's drill clean, while digging for samples.
“I am proud of the work our talented and dedicated team members have put into this project to ensure its success. Their ingenuity and commitment drive innovation and the continued success of Moog, our local community, and the exploration of worlds beyond our own,” said Maureen Athoe, President of Moog’s Space and Defense segment.
Steve Witkowski, Market Manager for Space Electronics added, “From the machinists building the individual hardware to our technicians integrating each component into the larger system, this is truly a mission inside a mission. It’s incredible to think of your work being a critical component in exploring another planet.”
“Mars 2020 is another big step forward in space exploration and another significant achievement for Moog’s Space and Defense segment,” added Steve McDonald, Propulsion Engineering Manager. “Seeing our hardware perform successfully on such an important mission is both inspiring and fulfilling.”
