When embarking on an undertaking as massive as landing a person on the moon, the list of challenges quickly becomes daunting. Overcoming gravity and operating in the harsh environment of space are the most obvious, followed closely by things like communication, navigation and the myriad of hurdles that Newton’s laws bring to the table. Finally, factors like weather, astronaut health and the political landscape must also be considered including contingencies should any of them fail or change unexpectedly.

The reality is, however, that even as all of these elements are addressed, their solutions may present new, unanticipated challenges that must also be attended to. Vibration is one such factor.

As NASA began to take on the gargantuan task of manned space flight and a lunar landing, one factor became evident. The forces at play and the systems designed to overcome them produced considerable shock and vibration that, left unchecked, could cause catastrophic harm to the spacecraft, it’s countless systems and the astronauts it carried. Clearly, guarding against the dangerous effects of vibration was vital to keeping critical systems functioning and ensuring structural integrity.

Fortunately, a company with a rich history in the study and mitigation of vibration isolation and seismic restraint was prepared to take on the challenges that a lunar landing presented. That company was VMC Group.

VMC Group’s beginnings can be traced back to Germany in 1898 when founder Dr. Hugo Stoessel created a new company, Korfund Dynamics, focused on mitigating the negative effects of shock and vibration of forging hammers. Today, that company is viewed as the as the forerunner in the vibration control industry, and is one of the core companies comprising VMC Group.

Over a century later, VMC Group has become the leading authority on vibration isolation and seismic restraint. Their mechanical and structural engineers hold the highest industry-recognized credentials in structural analysis, elastomer development and system dynamics and are often sought out for their reputation as experts in the industry. They also offer the world’s most comprehensive product lines in shock protection, vibration isolation and seismic control for the military aerospace, commercial construction/HVAC and industrial/vehicular OEM industries – including NASA.

VMC Group’s expertise in vibration isolation solutions and products proved crucial in protecting the safety of the NASA missions and the astronauts that flew them. Since then, VMC Group has participated in NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), every space shuttle mission, the Mars Rover and many other successful rocket launches.

VMC Group operates under a philosophy called The Power of Together™ – a commitment to combine their vast experience with their clients’ knowledge of their respective industries, working side-by-side to continuously create new and better solutions for controlling the negative effects of vibration and movement.

Today, VMC Group plays an integral role in NASA’s ongoing quest to explore new frontiers including future lunar and Mars missions. 

As NASA celebrates its 50-year anniversary of the Apollo moon landings, VMC Group is proud to have been a part of those missions and count them as a partner. NASA’s success is testimony to The Power of Together™ and the awe-inspiring accomplishments that come from working as a team.