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NASA says thank you to Atec, a subcontractor based in Stafford

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Among the work areas at Stafford-based Atec is a clean room in the company's space systems assembly area.
Among the work areas at Stafford-based Atec is a clean room in the company's space systems assembly area.James Nielsen/Staff

Atec builds, assembles and tests critical valves for rocket engines that launch satellites into space and will one day propel astronauts toward Mars. On Wednesday, the Stafford-based company's work was recognized by NASA's team for the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft.

"We cannot do what we do without the help of both large and small companies across the nation," Tracy Johnson, assistant program manager for NASA's Space Launch System, told a group of employees and representatives of other NASA contractors gathered at Atec headquarters. "And that's why we're here today, to say thank you."

The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft are part of NASA's effort to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.

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Atec provides cryogenic flow-control valves for the Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10 engine. The valves control the flow of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen until they're blended in the combustion chamber used to propel the rocket.

One of the RL10 engines will be used in the SLS rocket's upper stage for an unmanned test flight planned for 2018; four of them will be used for the first manned flight planned for a later date.

Atec is also assisting Boeing by building battery adapter plates for the International Space Station. The adapter plates will mount batteries to the space station while also protecting the batteries and keeping them warm during installation.

The first batch of adapter plates is scheduled to be launched into space on Friday, space systems engineering manager Ben Wilking said.

Atec was awarded the 2016 Small Business Subcontractor of the Year award from NASA's Johnson Space Center for its work with Boeing. Atec has about 120 employees in the Houston area and more than 150 overall.

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"This is a proud moment for us, and we've been working for this moment for a long time," president Paul Fenley said.

Outside of its space-flight work, Atec builds facilities and equipment for the U.S. Air Force and commercial entities to test jet and turboprop engines. It also builds energy services equipment that is put down wells to map oil and gas deposits in rock formations.

"We don't make dainty lab equipment," said Brian Durbin, vice president of Atec. "We make the rugged stuff."

Johnson and Paul Marshall, NASA's assistant manager for the Orion program, said visiting companies provides an opportunity to tell employees how critical their work is to the mission and in keeping astronauts safe.

The officials showed videos and pictures of the development and testing of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, then answered questions. NASA prime contractors Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and Aerojet Rocketdyne also were present.

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"Most places don't have that specific knowledge that what they're doing is one day going to land people on Mars," Marshall said.

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