Apollo to Artemis

Quote by Bill Barry, NASA chief historian.

Moving the Mission

More than 50 years later, NASA is building on knowledge gained from Apollo for its Artemis Moon mission, working with commercial and international partners on space systems to lay the foundation for eventual human exploration of Mars. The International Space Station plays an important role. "We're using it to test-drive the technology we'll need to go beyond," Barry says. "How well does a system work? Will we need to 3D-print spare parts? Do we have a way to recycle resources and grow plants? We want to close the usage loop as much as possible."

Booz Allen has worked on the International Space Station since the beginning:

  • We were part of the initial Space Operations Task Force that helped shape the original vision.
  • We've provided complex systems engineering and integration (SE&I) work encompassing major program changes, 11 years of on-orbit assembly, and current science and research operations.
  • When the complex, multi-contract program ran into cost challenges, our cross-functional team reengineered the initiative, setting it back on track and providing $500 million in budget savings.
  • Today, our engineers handle logistics and operations, from conducting analyses of onboard systems for operations planning to coordinating logistics traffic from vehicles—whether from commercial partners like SpaceX and Northrop Grumman or international traffic from Russia and Japan.

It's the most complex engineering program of all time, and we help keep it one of the most successful. Learn more about our decades of ISS support.

The Path to Mars

NASA is planning to lead an international partnership to lay the foundation for exploring Mars and beyond. Our firm is using all our capabilities—engineering, consulting, analytics, digital solutions, and cyber—to help prepare mission-essential elements. Over the years we’ve developed services at the forefront of exploration and space defense. For the Artemis program, we’re providing:

  • Ground systems engineering support for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft
  • Hardware and software systems integration for the Orion program, a spacecraft for cislunar (Earth to Moon) voyages which will launch atop the SLS
  • SE&I support, including digital modernization, for Gateway, the international lunar-orbit platform which will provide a staging ground for deep space missions, as well as the lunar lander that will ferry astronauts from the Gateway to the lunar surface
  • Data analysis and visualization to analyze trajectory data to determine the best launch date
  • Strategic consulting and cybersecurity services to support Exploration Systems Development

See more ways we're helping create the future of space.

“Booz Allen has been with NASA from the start of our exploration in space and we’re looking forward to a continuing, robust partnership as we move ahead to the Moon and Mars.”

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