A United Technologies Corp. subsidiary will produce materials for the environmental control and life support system of a crew capsule Boeing is building under a $4.2 billion contract with NASA.
UTC Aerospace Systems will design, build and manufacture ECLSS components for Boeing’s CST-100 spacecraft and is scheduled to deliver the hardware in 2016, UTC Aerospace Systems said Thursday.
Life support technology on spacecraft is intended to help astronauts survive in space by offering an earth-like atmosphere during spaceflight.
ECLSS subsystems include an active control system, air revitalization system and a pressure control system.
UTC Aerospace Systems says it has also built parts of the International Space Station ECLSS, space suit and Orion space vehicle for NASA.
NASA awarded Boeing the contract to ferry U.S. astronauts into low-Earth orbit as well as provide ground and mission support for the agency’s commercial crew program.