By Bailey Coyle, Fox23 News
STILLWATER, Okla. — As NASA prepares to send astronauts around the moon on the Artemis II mission, a small Oklahoma company is playing a big role in making that journey possible.
In Stillwater, Frontier Electronic Systems has spent decades building mission-critical electronics, and now, their work is headed to space.
Frontier Electronic Systems has been in operation for more than 40 years, employing about 135 people. The woman-owned company specializes in high-mix, low-to-medium volume electronic systems designed for defense and spaceflight.
“Our backbone…is building electronic systems for mission-critical applications for defense and space flight,” said Business Development Specialist James Peake.
For Artemis II, Frontier partnered with major aerospace contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Collins Aerospace to supply more than 10 different products.
Those components translate to roughly 20 to 25 units on the rocket and spacecraft, with some systems duplicated for safety.
Among the most critical pieces are the hand controllers and switch panels astronauts will use to fly the Orion capsule.
“Some of the things that we’re most proud of…are the hand controllers and the switch panels that the astronauts…will use to fly the Orion capsule,” Peake said.
One of the astronauts relying on that technology is Victor Glover, who will pilot the spacecraft during the mission.
Frontier’s hardware will allow astronauts to control and navigate the spacecraft as it travels around the moon and back to Earth — a responsibility the company said carries weight.
“It’s our responsibility to keep them safe on this flight,” Peake said.
Because Artemis II is a human spaceflight mission every component must go through years of design, manufacturing, testing, and qualification.
“Some of the circuit cards we’ve built…have a year or more lead time,” Peake said. “Then sometimes a year or two to get through manufacture, testing, and qualification because keeping the crew safe is critical.”
Frontier has been involved in the Artemis and Orion programs for about 15 years, contributing a wide range of components over time.
Now those parts are already in place at the Kennedy Space Center ready for liftoff.
“Right now, our product is sitting on the pad…ready to be fueled,” Peake said. “You occasionally have to pinch yourself and remember how special that is.”
Employees say nearly everyone in the company has played a role in the mission.
“We are a very small, tight-knit organization…and just about everyone that works here has in some way contributed,” Peake said.
Inside Frontier’s facility, that pride is visible with Artemis banners and posters lining the halls.
“Everybody tells their families about what they did this week, and a little bit of that pride comes home with you,” Peake said.
Leaders said the accomplishment goes beyond just one company.
“This is not just a win for Frontier, this is a win for all Oklahomans,” Peake said. “We are proving that Oklahomans can build world-class space flight and deep space technology right here.”
Peake hopes Artemis II will inspire people across the country, much like the iconic “Earthrise” image from the Apollo 8 mission.
“I hope we get another picture and people can realize just how special being on this third rock from the sun is,” Peake said.
Frontier’s roots are deeply tied to the state. The company was founded to create opportunities for highly skilled workers to stay in Oklahoma.
“One of the reasons they founded this company was so Oklahomans could have high quality, highly technical jobs here and not lose them to other states,” Peake said.
As Artemis II prepares for launch, Frontier employees said they know their work is part of something much bigger.
“At Frontier, we’re not just watching history pass us by,” Peake said, “We’re literally designing and building the hardware that is making history happen.”
When astronauts lift off for their journey around the moon, a piece of Oklahoma will be going with them.
