“This year’s winner is truly out of this world and represents the very best of Illinois manufacturing, embodying the creativity and innovation that is the hallmark of our incredible industry,” says Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “The NASA Standard Initiator helped propel Artemis II and the Orion spacecraft further into space than ever before. [It] allowed astronauts to see the dark side of the Moon and set the stage for a lunar landing.”

“We are honored to receive this recognition as The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois,” adds Karen Kern, principal contracts manager at Chemring Energetic Devices. “The NSI has become a symbol of reliability, ingenuity and precision, while supporting countless mission critical moments—from staging and separation to maneuvers that carry exploration forward.

“The NSI has flown on every NASA mission since Apollo and most recently was a critical part of the historic Artemis II mission,” Kern points out. “This recognition is a celebration of our fantastic employees and their craftsmanship, dedication and passion.”