WASHINGTON – As the Artemis II mission moves toward a scheduled splashdown Friday night, the eyes of the world will be fixed on the four astronauts returning from their historic loop around the moon. The ‘Orion’ capsule carries many distinct “Made in Oklahoma” materials that represent a decade of Oklahoman engineering and manufacturing.
From Stillwater to Space: Oklahoma’s Hidden Hand in Artemis II
“Most of our team have been working on this specific hardware for about eight to ten years now, and that was from the original contract to delivering this mission’s hardware,” said James Peake of Frontier Electronic Systems in Stillwater, OK.
Frontier Electronics is responsible for mission-critical hardware that allowed the crew to navigate further into space than any humans in history, which could not have happened without years of work coming from the 405 – central Oklahoma.
With the scheduled splashdown occurring at 8:07 p.m. EDT, Friday, April 10, the completion of Artemis II is only the beginning for FES, as the firm has already delivered the necessary hardware for the Artemis III lunar landing mission.
For the team in Stillwater, the looming conclusion of the ten-day mission was bringing a mixture of professional pride and personal awe as they watched their components perform flawlessly nearly a quarter-million miles from the factory floor.
“To see them finally integrated into a capsule over the last few years, on the launchpad, and then astronauts using them as they transit to the moon and back, it’s a bit of disbelief and just absolute elation,” Peake said.
A Decade of Work, Realized in Orbit
While much of the technology provided by FES is hidden within the spacecraft’s internal systems, the company’s most visible contributions are the primary interfaces the astronauts have used every day of the mission.
The Stillwater firm manufactured sophisticated switch panels that surround all three of the digital display screens in the capsule, serving as the main control center for the human crew.
“We have a handful of items that you can’t see, which are mostly power and control and conditioning for power electronics systems… but we’re especially proud of the things you can see.” Peake noted.
Beyond the panels, the company also produced the hand-held controllers, which are the primary tools the astronauts use to maneuver the spacecraft.
The crew also relies on a specialized device known as the Cursor Control Device, or CCD, which Peake described as a “fancy space mouse” that allows the astronauts to interact with their digital flight displays.
Peake pointed out that projects, like the ones happening at Frontier Electronic, put Oklahoma on the map.
“A lot of people think of Oklahoma as a bit of a flyover state. So to prove that Oklahoma can go toe-to-toe with the best that our country offers, we’re very privileged to represent the state,” Peake said.
Craig Smith, the Director of Space Industry Development for the state of Oklahoma, noted that while the state has a well-documented history in aerospace, it also has an incredibly rich legacy in space exploration.
Oklahoma’s Growing Footprint in the Space Economy
Smith highlighted the role of Tulsa-based North American Aviation-later Rockwell International-which was a cornerstone of the Space Shuttle program, contributing to a heritage that has seen Oklahomans involved in almost every major NASA phase.
“Oklahoma has a fairly well documented history in aerospace, however we also have a rich legacy in space… Oklahoma is becoming better positioned in the rapidly growing space economy,” Smith said.
From Gemini and Apollo to Skylab and the Space Shuttle, Oklahoma has consistently produced a remarkable number of astronauts per capita. Oklahoma ranks 16th in the country on the “Astronauts per million citizens” with 7 to 15 astronauts depending upon who is counting those hailing from the Sooner State.
From Apollo to Artemis: A Legacy Reignited
According to Smith, firms like Frontier Electronic, Tulsa-based NORDAM, which keeps airlines flying, and Infinite Composites, known for for its composite work, of Tulsa, alongside giants like Boeing and Lockheed Martin that both maintain major Oklahoma operations at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, have positioned the state to be a leader in the expanding global space economy.
“And now with private investment growing and additional Artemis missions on the horizon – the future for Oklahoma’s space economy continues to get brighter,” Smith added.
Even as the company celebrates its ties to Stillwater, it maintains a deep and historical connection to the University of Oklahoma that bridges the state’s famous Bedlam rivalry.
The late founder of Frontier Electronic Systems, Dr. Ed Shreve, was a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, and his legacy continues to influence the company’s culture and its ongoing recruitment of talented graduates from Norman.
“Everybody thinks of us more as an OSU company because we’re up here in Stillwater, but our founder… was originally-his undergrad was at OU. So it’s nice to have a little bit of connection back with Norman,” Peake said.
Peake noted that the company employs several OU and OSU alumni today, reinforcing the idea that the success of the Artemis program is a victory for the entire state rather than a single city or university.
“In fact, we have a few OU grads that work for us today. So we are representing the whole state here, not just Stillwater,” Peake said, noting the company is currently building hardware for Artemis IV and V.
“We will have components on the launch abort system, Orion capsule, service module, and the core stage of the rocket. So we’re very privileged to be represented in every major stage of the mission,” Peake confirmed.
Beyond Artemis II: What Comes Next
As the capsule speeds toward the Pacific Ocean, the team in Stillwater will be watching closely, knowing their work helped bridge the gap between Earth and the moon for a new generation of explorers.
“All of us are in a bit of disbelief still, ever since liftoff,” Peake said, reflecting on the magnitude of seeing Oklahoma-made technology navigate the stars.
Friday’s splashdown will be a moment of relief and celebration for the astronauts, but in Stillwater, it will be a validation of a decade of hard work and a sign of even bigger things to come.
