A precision laser company based in Bridgend, Wales, has supplied wire processing technology used in the construction of NASA’s Artemis II Orion capsule, the spacecraft that will carry four astronauts around the Moon on the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Spectrum Technologies, which employs around 30 people and specializes in laser wire stripping and marking systems, has confirmed through its corporate communications that its equipment supports aerospace programs connected to NASA missions. “Our laser wire stripping systems are designed to meet the exacting standards required by the aerospace sector, and we are proud that our technology contributes to programs of this significance,” a Spectrum Technologies spokesperson said.
Artemis II is currently scheduled to launch no earlier than April 2026, carrying NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a roughly 10-day flight around the Moon and back. The Orion capsule, built by prime contractor Lockheed Martin, contains miles of electrical wiring connecting avionics, life support, communications, and propulsion systems.
Why laser wire stripping matters for crewed spacecraft
Wiring harnesses inside a spacecraft like Orion are among the most safety-critical components on board. Thousands of individual wire connections must be routed through tightly confined spaces, and each one has to meet rigorous standards for reliability. A single damaged conductor or poorly stripped insulation layer could cause a short circuit, signal failure, or worse during a mission where the crew is hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth.
Traditional mechanical wire stripping uses blades to cut and remove insulation, but this method risks nicking the underlying conductor, especially on the thin, lightweight wires preferred in aerospace applications. Laser wire stripping uses a focused beam of light to vaporize the insulation without ever touching the metal conductor beneath. The result is a cleaner, more consistent strip with no mechanical stress on the wire.
For a spacecraft designed to carry humans into deep space, that level of precision is not optional. NASA and its prime contractors impose strict qualification requirements on every manufacturing process that touches flight hardware, and laser wire stripping has become a standard technique across the aerospace industry for exactly this reason.
Spectrum Technologies has built its business around this niche. The company designs and manufactures laser wire stripping and marking machines that are used by aerospace contractors, defense firms, and other industries where wiring reliability is paramount. Its equipment is already established in supply chains serving major aerospace programs in Europe and the United States.
How a small Welsh firm fits into NASA’s supply chain
NASA’s human spaceflight programs rely on layered supply chains. Lockheed Martin serves as the prime contractor for Orion, but the company in turn draws on a network of specialized suppliers and subcontractors for components, materials, and manufacturing equipment. A firm like Spectrum Technologies would typically supply its laser processing machines to a contractor responsible for building Orion’s wiring harnesses, rather than contracting directly with NASA.
This model is consistent with how NASA has structured procurement across the Artemis program. The agency has actively funded small businesses to support Artemis-related technology development, including through its Glenn Research Center, which has directed resources toward specialized firms working on mission-critical systems. While those particular small business initiatives have focused on laser communications rather than wire processing, they illustrate the agency’s reliance on niche expertise from outside its traditional contractor base.
The UK space sector has grown significantly over the past decade, with the UK Space Agency actively promoting British firms’ participation in international space programs. Welsh companies have carved out roles in advanced manufacturing for aerospace, and Spectrum Technologies’ involvement in Artemis II fits a broader pattern of UK suppliers contributing specialized capabilities to NASA missions.
What NASA has confirmed about Orion’s technology suppliers
NASA has published extensive documentation on the subsystems and supplier relationships supporting the Artemis II Orion capsule, though the agency does not typically name every equipment supplier in its public records. Official contract releases confirm that the agency procures specialized technology from external firms for Orion, including a laser-based air monitoring system for tracking cabin air quality and the O2O optical communications terminal designed to beam high-definition video from deep space back to Earth.
These systems are distinct from laser wire processing. The air monitoring hardware and the O2O laser communications terminal are onboard instruments that fly with the spacecraft, while laser wire stripping is a ground-based manufacturing technique applied during construction. The connection between them is that all reflect the broader role laser technology plays across the Artemis program, from fabrication to flight operations.
NASA’s supplier documentation typically becomes more detailed as missions approach their launch windows. Pre-launch technical reviews and updated contract announcements may provide additional public confirmation of specific suppliers’ roles as Artemis II moves closer to flight.
The road to launch
Artemis II has experienced multiple schedule adjustments since it was first announced. The mission builds on the success of Artemis I, the uncrewed test flight that sent an Orion capsule around the Moon and back in late 2022, validating the spacecraft’s heat shield and deep-space systems. Artemis II will be the first time astronauts fly aboard Orion and the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years.
For a small company in south Wales, having its technology inside a spacecraft bound for the Moon represents a significant milestone. It also underscores a reality of modern space exploration: the most ambitious missions depend not just on the headline-grabbing rockets and capsules, but on the specialized manufacturers who solve the granular engineering problems that make human spaceflight possible.
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*This article was researched with the help of AI, with human editors creating the final content.
