John Crane supports Artemis II lunar mission

John Crane’s contribution forms part of a broader, multi-division effort across Smiths Group, bringing together complementary technologies from across the Group to support this mission-critical programme.

As part of the Artemis II programme, John Crane is supplying highly specialised filtration sieves for the spacecraft’s Propellant Management Devices (PMDs). These systems play a vital role in low-gravity environments by managing the separation of liquid and gas phases within propellant tanks, enabling effective and reliable thrust during the mission.

The filtration sieves are engineered to withstand the extreme vibration, pressure and temperature variations associated with launch and space travel. Manufactured to exceptionally high specifications, they reflect John Crane’s expertise in delivering precision-engineered solutions for demanding and safety-critical applications.

Alongside John Crane’s contribution, other Smiths Group businesses are supporting key systems on the Artemis II mission. Flex-Tek is supplying highly engineered components for the Orion Space Launch System, including rigid tubing used for the safe transfer of fuel, gas and hot air within the rocket’s main propulsion and air systems. Smiths Interconnect is contributing high-speed cable assemblies and connectors critical to mission communications.

Ruben Alvarez, president of John Crane, said: “Artemis II is a powerful example of what’s possible when deep engineering expertise, innovation and collaboration come together. At John Crane, we are proud to contribute specialised technologies alongside our colleagues across Smiths Group, helping enable a mission that pushes the boundaries of performance, reliability and human exploration.”

Dr Nicolas Fries, Orion propellant tank development lead at ArianeGroup, said: “Every piece of equipment for this kind of spacecraft needs to undergo a demanding qualification and acceptance programme. During the sieve development phase we had to combine the extensive sieve manufacturing expertise from John Crane with the space engineering know how of ArianeGroup. John Crane has proven to be a reliable supplier for such critical elements and we are looking forward to continue our cooperation.”

www.johncrane.com/en