Tag: Aerospace
The aerospace industry is achieving remarkable advances—from reusable rockets to deep-space exploration and unprecedented scientific discovery. Every spacecraft represents years of development, millions of dollars of investment, and the expertise of countless engineers, scientists, and astronauts. Protecting this equipment during transport, testing, and pre-launch preparations is critical to mission success.
For decades, Air Innovations has helped aerospace leaders safeguard critical equipment with environmental control solutions that maintain precise temperature, humidity, and cleanliness. Today, Air Innovations proudly provides environmental control systems supporting all U.S.-based companies operating crewed space missions, reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in the most demanding aerospace applications. These systems protect sensitive spacecraft and payloads from varying weather conditions, airborne contaminants, and the stresses of transportation, giving aerospace teams the confidence that their equipment is ready for flight.
Redundant Environmental Control for Military Payloads: Ensuring Mission-Ready Conditions for SpaceX
SpaceX needed a solution to maintain precise environmental conditions for military payloads during transport between facilities and launch. The challenges included widely fluctuating temperatures (20°F to 100°F / –7°C to 38°C), high humidity (up to 99%), and microscopic particles that could damage sensitive instruments.
Air Innovations designed two portable environmental control systems with automatic redundancy. Each unit delivers clean, conditioned air thanks to pre-cooler, desiccant dryer, and post-cooler components, while insulated stainless-steel ductwork ensures a seamless connection between units. Highly efficient filters, including HEPA and activated carbon, remove particles and hydrocarbons, delivering ISO Class 6.5 clean air. The systems provide 1,100–2,200 CFM airflow, operate reliably under extreme conditions, and ensure payloads arrive at the launch pad mission-ready. Read the full SpaceX case study here.
Dragon arrives at the hangar at pad 40 ahead of the upcoming Crew-12 launch to the @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/Sq18mdmR39
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 3, 2026
Environmental Control for Reusable Rockets: Supporting Blue Origin’s Operational Sustainability
Blue Origin was building reusable rockets for civil, commercial, and defense missions, and required an environmental control unit (ECU) to maintain pristine conditions during ground transport. The system needed to accommodate multiple transport vehicle types, tolerate wide temperature swings (0°F to 120°F / –18°C to 49°C), and remove contaminants including dust and hydrocarbons.
Air Innovations engineered a system capable of delivering 1,000–3,500 CFM, controlling temperature between 50–100°F (10–38°C) with relative humidity under 60%. HEPA and carbon filtration ensured 99.97% cleanliness, meeting cleanroom-level standards. The ECU was designed and tested entirely remotely, providing reliable protection for critical spacecraft systems, while supporting operational reusability goals. Read the full Blue Origin case study here.
Protecting the Orion Capsule for NASA: Precision Control Under Any Conditions
Lockheed Martin approached Air Innovations to protect the Orion crew-and-service module during transport from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, to Plum Brook Station, Ohio for environmental testing. The system needed to maintain temperature, humidity, and cleanliness despite rapid external temperature changes, condensate accumulation, power frequency differences between ground and aircraft, and strict weight limitations (<1,000 pounds).
Air Innovations delivered a 1,012-pound ECU with 1,350 CFM airflow, precise temperature (63–81°F / 17–27°C) and humidity (<60%) control, HEPA and carbon filtration, condensate management, hot-gas bypass refrigeration, and a 12.5 kW electric re-heater. Redundant fans, heaters, and controls ensured uninterrupted operation. The system maintained ISO Class 8 cleanroom-level air, while adapting to both ground and in-flight power, protecting one of NASA’s most critical spacecrafts during its journey. Read the full Lockheed Martin case study here.
Enabling Aerospace Missions: A Trusted, Mission-Focused Partner
Across these projects, Air Innovations’ work is about enabling the aerospace industry to achieve extraordinary goals. Designing and manufacturing custom ECUs involves close collaboration with our clients, working hand-in-hand with technical teams at their facilities to understand every requirement and challenge. Through this high level of partnership and technical expertise, Air Innovations has earned the trust of leading aerospace companies, who view us not simply as a provider of environmental control systems, but as a genuine collaborator invested in their success. This trust is reflected in our role supporting U.S.-based crewed space mission companies, where reliability, precision, and performance are non-negotiable. We are fully committed to ensuring our clients’ equipment—and the critical operations it supports—perform flawlessly.
