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Héroux-Devtek Inc., the world’s third-largest landing gear manufacturer, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing that allowed humankind to take its first steps on the moon on this day in 1969. Héroux-Devtek, then Héroux Marchine Parts Limited, built the landing gear for the lunar module’s epic journey.
“Héroux-Devtek is proud of being part of the historic mission that allowed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to take ‘one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’ Our work with NASA on this project remains a big part of our identity and a testament to the expertise and know-how of our engineers and employees,” said Martin Brassard, president and CEO of Héroux-Devtek.
“Since 1942 we have grown from a small repair and overhaul facility to a world-class supplier to the global aerospace industry. Our work with NASA was an important moment in our history and propelled Quebec minds and technology onto the global stage,” added Gilles Labbé, executive chairman of Héroux-Devtek.
Canada Post issued two commemorative stamps celebrating the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 mission — and the Canadians who helped make it possible. Héroux-Devtek manufactured the spider-like landing gear legs on the lunar module to NASA’s specifications. The legs were also part of the launch platform that let Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin lift off from the moon and reconnect with the main command module. Those legs remain on the moon at the Apollo 11 landing site, in an area known as the Sea of Tranquility.
