From Around the Moon to Canoga Park: Artemis II Crew Visits L3Harris Following Historic Mission
The Artemis II crew and NASA leaders visited L3Harris in Canoga Park to recognize the company’s role in the mission, including RS-25 engines that powered the SLS rocket.
The Artemis II astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—visited L3Harris’ Canoga Park facility to thank employees for their contributions to the historic mission. NASA leaders joined them to celebrate the crew’s achievements and the technology that enabled the flight, which set a record for the farthest human spaceflight from Earth. Nearly 1,000 L3Harris employees attended the event, reflecting the company’s long-standing partnership with NASA in lunar exploration.
L3Harris Missile Solutions President Ken Bedingfield and other executives praised the Canoga Park team’s work in developing the RS-25 engines, which generated 2 million pounds of thrust during Artemis II. NASA presented the company with a flown Artemis II flag as a token of appreciation for its contributions. The engines, which power the SLS rocket’s core stage, are critical to NASA’s Artemis program, enabling missions to the moon and beyond.
Mike Lauer, General Manager of the RS-25 program at L3Harris, emphasized the team’s pride in hosting the astronauts and highlighted the shared ethic of teamwork that made the mission possible. He noted the company’s commitment to advancing human spaceflight, including the recent delivery of four RS-25 engines for Artemis III, scheduled for launch in 2027.
L3Harris has supported NASA for six decades, supplying propulsion systems, communications, and avionics for lunar missions. Kevin McCombs, Vice President of Strategic Systems, underscored the company’s dedication to modernization and efficiency in producing engines for future Artemis missions. The visit reinforced the ongoing collaboration between L3Harris and NASA as preparations continue for Artemis III and beyond.