Some Honeywell employees in Glendale will play a role in the next generation of human space exploration. 

Lockheed Martin awarded a contract to Honeywell to support production of NASA’s Orion spacecraft fleet. They’ll be used for upcoming missions, which will bring humans back to the moon for the first time since 1972. 

Honeywell did not disclose financial details but said the company will supply guidance and navigation systems, data handling products, displays and control panels, and core flight software. 

In a statement Mike Elias, vice president, Space, Honeywell Aerospace, said, “Honeywell was present on all NASA’s previous crewed space missions, including those that brought humans to the moon for the first time, and we’re proud to be working with Lockheeed Martin to help shape the future of human space exploration.”

The contract will be managed out of Honeywell’s aerospace facility in Clearwater, Florida, with work also being done in Puerto Rico and Glendale. 

The Orion spacecraft production line could support as many as 12 Artemis missions, including carrying the first woman and the next man to the moon by 2024. It’s part of agency broader goal to explore the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars. 

NASA awarded the Orion Productions and Operations Contract to Lockheed Martin. It includes a commitment to order a minimum of six and a maximum of 12 Orion spacecraft through Sept. 30, 2030. At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, employees will manage the Orion project, which will focus on reusability and building a sustainable presence on the lunar surface.