Forty years ago, the nation was watching as the space shuttle Challenger began its ascent on a cold Florida morning, headed for the stars. Tragedy followed. Just 73 seconds after launch, O-ring seals in a rocket booster failed, causing a disaster that claimed the lives of the seven astronauts on board. While the fatal accident profoundly altered the nation’s space program, it also sparked a powerful and enduring mission led by the astronauts’ families: to inspire young people through education, curiosity and exploration. That mission lives on today through Challenger Learning Centers across the country, including the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee.
The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) is hosting a Virtual Symposium on Tribology in Aerospace Applications, July 29-30, 2025, from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CT.
Forest City Gear manufactures extremely high-precision gears made for the most advanced robotics, right in Roscoe, IL. This family-owned team of gearheads specialize in high-precision gears engineered to handle the most demanding robotic applications—on Earth, and way beyond.
RBC Bearings Incorporated has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire VACCO Industries from ESCO Technologies Inc.
LIFT, the Department of Defense-supported national advanced materials manufacturing innovation institute, has officially opened its state-of-the-art Advanced Metallic Production and Processing (AMPP) Center in Detroit’s historic Corktown district. This facility will play a critical role in strengthening the U.S. industrial base by accelerating the design, development, and deployment of novel metallic materials, filling a key gap in the nation’s defense manufacturing base.
A Conversation with Jeff Hemphill, CTO at Schaeffler Group USA Inc. Matthew Jaster, Senior Editor