FMI joins NASA, JPL, and Lockheed Martin in celebrating the first anniversary of the successful landing of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover. Enabled by FMI-manufactured advanced thermal protection solutions, the vehicle successfully navigated the “Seven Minutes of Terror” during its entry into the Martian atmosphere, and has been performing important science tasks ever since.

Congratulations to the entire Mars Science Laboratory team!

FMI presented at the National Space and Missile Materials Symposium (NSMMS) and Commercial and Government Responsive Access to Space Technology Exchange (CRASTE) in Bellevue, Washington. Carbon-Carbon and Ceramic Matrix Composite thermo-structural materials were discussed, as well as advancements in the FMI PICA family of lightweight, ablative thermal protection system materials.

6/25 @ NSMMS          Development of PICA Gap Filler for Heatshield Assemblies

6/27 @ CRASTE           Carbon-SiC Composite Design Approaches for Aerospace Hot Structures

6/27 @ NSMMS            Development of Advanced C-C Composites for Missile TPS Applications

Over 40 key suppliers supporting NASA’s initiative for human deep-space exploration gathered in Washington, D.C. on March 24 and 25 to collectively establish and deliver to congressional members the program’s key messages and value proposition.  The ORION spacecraft will be powered by the Space Launch System (SLS) lift vehicle which will enable travel more than 5,000,000km beyond Earth’s surface; 10,000 times further than the International Space Station orbital position.  SLS and ORION are considered enabling to NASA’s planned manned-Mars missions.  The conference was organized and led by the prime contractors for the SLS and the ORION spacecraft; Lockheed Martin, Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne, Boeing and ATK.   FMI attendance was requested as the supplier of propulsion components for the flight critical Launch Abort System (LAS) Attitude Control Motor (ACM).
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