Futuramic was honored to to be awarded NASA’s prestigious Space Flight Awareness (SFA) Supplier Award for our work in designing and building the Core Stage Vertical Integration Center (CSVIC) tooling, n collaboration with Boeing, for the NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). This achievement highlights Futuramic’s ongoing contributions to the aerospace industry and human spaceflight.
Award Ceremony at Kennedy Space Center
The award ceremony took place on December 16, 2024, in High Bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event brought together representatives from NASA, Boeing, and Futuramic, as well as key stakeholders in the Artemis program. The ceremony featured a meet-and-greet session, the formal award presentation, and a photo session in front of the CSVIC tooling. The event concluded with the “Artemis Supplier Call – Artemis II and Beyond,” hosted from High Bay 2, where NASA leadership and astronauts provided updates on the mission and recognized the contributions of aerospace suppliers supporting Artemis.
Boeing’s David Dutcher, Vice President & Program Manager for the Space Launch System, presenting the Space Flight Awareness Supplier award to Futuramic’s Jim Bennett
A Critical Tool for Artemis
The SFA Supplier Award is one of NASA’s highest honors, recognizing suppliers who demonstrate outstanding dedication to quality, safety, and mission success. Futuramic’s CSVIC tool plays a critical role in the Artemis program, enabling the vertical stacking of SLS core stage components earlier in the assembly process. This innovation improves efficiency, increases factory capacity, and ensures precision in final integration.
“Futuramic’s commitment to quality and efficiency was evident throughout the project,” said Craig Williams, Director, SLS Core Stage Integrated Product Team. “From the initial design phase to the final installation, they worked diligently to ensure that every aspect of the CSVIC met the highest standards.”
Boeing also highlighted the importance of the new integration tooling, stating, “New platforms enable rocket components to stack vertically earlier in the process, increasing factory capacity.” This advancement is crucial in streamlining the SLS assembly process and maintaining the schedule for future Artemis missions.
Amit Kshatriya, Deputy Associate Administrator for the Moon to Mars Program in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, speaking at the Artemis II Supplier and Media Event + Moon Minute on December 16th, 2024.
Futuramic’s Commitment to Aerospace Excellence
Reflecting on the achievement, Jim Bennett, Program Manager at Futuramic, stated, “Receiving NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Supplier Award is a tremendous honor and a testament to our team’s dedication to excellence in aerospace manufacturing. The CSVIC tooling is a critical piece of infrastructure for the Artemis program, and we are proud to have played a role in advancing human spaceflight.”
Receiving the Space Flight Awareness Supplier Award underscores Futuramic’s commitment to supporting human spaceflight and advancing deep space exploration. As an aerospace industry leader, we are incredibly proud of our team’s hard work and dedication and look forward to continuing our contributions to Artemis and future space missions.
From left, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jenni Gibbons, NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, NASA Moon to Mars Program Deputy Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, and NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman participate in a media day event on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Artemis II crew and backup crew participated in the event days after teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems transport lifted the agency’s 212-foot-tall SLS (Space Launch System) core stage from the facility’s transfer aisle into High Bay 2 where it will remain while teams stack the two solid rocket boosters on top of mobile launcher 1. Photo Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
About Futuramic
Futuramic is a privately held family owned, Michigan small business that specializes in providing cutting-edge solutions for the Aerospace and Defense sectors. With a rich history of innovation, precision tooling and engineering, and a commitment to excellence, Futuramic continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in aerospace and defense tooling, parts, and technology.
Futuramic has recently opened a facility In Titusville Florida close to the Kennedy Space Center to support both public and private space vehicles and launch systems. For more information, visit futuramic.com.