ME Elecmetal has reached a new milestone in its legacy as a global leader in wear solutions for the mining industry—recognized as the only NASA-qualified supplier of track shoes, the massive castings that drive the mobility of the U.S. space agency’s crawler transporters.
For more than 20 years, NASA has trusted ME Elecmetal to deliver this mission-critical component. “It is a great honor to be part of the U.S. critical space infrastructure. These decades of collaboration reflect our worldwide reputation for precision casting and innovation,” said ME Elecmetal representatives.
Track pads are massive, high-precision castings that enable NASA’s crawler transporters to carry spacecraft safely from the assembly building to the launch pad.
NASA operates two crawler transporters that have been in service since 1965, continuously modernized to support evolving space programs.
In 2003, ME Elecmetal was selected to manufacture nearly 1,000 new track pads at its Duluth, Minnesota facilities, replacing obsolete components during a major refurbishment.
Most recently, as part of upgrades for the Artemis Program, the crawler transporters’ capacity was increased from 12 million to 18 million pounds. Once again, ME Elecmetal was chosen as the only qualified supplier, delivering 114 new track pads in 2025—components designed to support NASA’s launch operations for the next 30 years.
ME Elecmetal manufactures NASA’s track pads using the advanced vacuum molding (V-Process). This technology:
Reduces emissions and sand waste
Promotes circularity with nearly 90% recycled metal in every casting
Ensures the precision and durability required for mission-critical components
These sustainable practices make our Duluth facilities uniquely suited to produce mission-critical components like NASA’s track pads.
ME Elecmetal’s NASA track shoes have been selected as one of the “Coolest Things Made in Minnesota”, a competition celebrating the state’s 64 most innovative products.
This recognition reflects our unmatched blend of precision engineering, technological innovation, and sustainable manufacturing practices—qualities that set us apart on both a state and global level.
