Kansas Reaches for the Stars: Davids Highlights State’s Role in Artemis II Mission

As NASA’s Artemis II mission prepares to return to Earth today, Representative Sharice Davids is highlighting the critical role Kansas companies — including two in Kansas’ Third District — played in making the mission possible. The Artemis program, which Davids has voted to support multiple times, represents a new era of American leadership in space exploration, and Kansas workers and businesses are helping lead the way.

“From right here in Kansas, our workers and businesses are helping power one of the most ambitious space exploration efforts in decades,” said Davids. “Artemis II shows what’s possible when we invest in innovation and American manufacturing. ‘Ad astra per aspera’ — to the stars through difficulties — isn’t just our state motto, it’s exactly what this mission represents. I’m proud to see companies from the Third District contributing to a moment that’s advancing science, strengthening our economy, and inspiring the next generation. I wish the crew a safe reentry and a successful return home.”

According to NASA data, multiple Kansas-based companies contributed key components and materials supporting the Artemis mission.

• Kansas Third District
  • Mid State Aerospace, Olathe: supplied parts for the Space Launch System (SLS), the powerful rocket that carried the Orion spacecraft into deep space.
  • U.S. Bank National Association, Overland Park: supported Exploration Ground Systems (EGS), which manage the infrastructure and operations needed to launch and recover Artemis missions.
• Across Kansas
  • D-J Engineering Inc., Augusta
  • Galaxy Technologies, Winfield
  • Globe Engineering Co., Inc., Wichita
  • MPM Inc., Wichita
  • Perfekta, Inc., Wichita
  • Topeka Foundry & Iron, Topeka
  • Vector Tooling Technologies, Winfield
  • Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Wichita 

Artemis II is the first crewed mission in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon and lay the groundwork for future missions to Mars. During the mission, astronauts traveled beyond low-Earth orbit, testing systems needed for long-duration deep space. The mission builds on Artemis I and is a key step toward establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon and beyond.