FREDERICA, Del., July 18, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- ILC Dover, the provider of spacesuits for the entire Apollo program, hosted a celebratory event for employees on Thursday, July 18, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The event also acknowledged the company's and employees' contribution to space travel and innovation.
Over the course of the 17 Apollo missions, ILC Dover created every spacesuit. The company played a particularly critical role in putting both Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon. With a unique marriage of engineers, pattern makers and seamstresses, the team dressed the astronauts, performed the checks and even helped the spacemen get inside the capsule.
"50 years ago, Man stepped foot on the moon outfitted in ILC Dover boots, gloves, spacesuit and helmet," said CEO Fran DiNuzzo. "That would not have been possible without the incredible work and commitment of scores of ILC Dover employees; many of whom are here celebrating with us today. They were responsible for paving the way for our success back then, and for laying the innovation groundwork that forms our mission of thinking Beyond Boundaries™."
The event also honored the Delaware student winners of ILC Dover's 2019 Time Capsule and Moon Colonization essay competitions. Schools across the state vied for the chance to win Gift Card awards and an invitation to the private anniversary event.
Hundreds of ILC Dover employees, retirees and guests attended the afternoon event, which featured Key Note Speaker, astronaut and artist Nicole Stott; founder of the Space for Art Foundation, and co-founder of Constellation.Earth .
"Two words that come to mind when I think about ILC Dover: Thank you!" said Stott. "Thank you for the awesomeness of the [EVA spacesuit] that kept me safe and was my own personal spaceship during my spacewalk; and thank you for so beautifully and generously donating time and talent to the Spacesuit Art project and bringing Hope, Unity, and Exploration to life."
A New Chapter in Spacesuit History: ILC Dover's First Commercially Available Spacesuit
Highlighting the event was the announcement that ILC Dover will soon launch their first commercially available EVA spacesuit. Similar to a personal spacecraft, the Astro™ EVA (ExtraVehicular Activity) suit allows astronauts to operate outside their capsule, space station or habitat with oxygen to breathe and protection from such elements as radiation, bright sunlight, extreme temperatures and space dust. The company currently provides EVA suits to astronauts on the International Space Station.
"We're so excited to be a part of the second space race," said Patty Stoll, division manager of space operations at ILC Dover. "We helped with the first one and it feels right to be a part of the second. Commercial spaceflight is in our future, and ILC Dover is proud to be a part of that."
ILC Dover also announced a soon-to-be-released commercially available Sol™ LEA spacesuit. This suit aids and protects astronauts inside the space capsule during Launch, Entry and Abort conditions.
Recognized globally for our flexible containment solutions, ILC Dover serves customers in a diverse range of industries, including pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturing, personal care, food and beverage, chemical, aerospace, healthcare and government agencies. At ILC Dover, quality is a culture, not a measurement. Our customers will tell you that we cater to their every need and that we're highly innovative, responsive, dedicated and competitive. We have been innovating since 1947. ILC Dover's visionary solutions improve efficiency, safeguard workers and product, and prevent disasters – proof that we are on the front line of business excellence. Engineering evolution Beyond Boundaries™.
SOURCE ILC Dover
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