It's not every day you send your products into outer space, but The Timken Co. has done just that. The bearing maker supplied super precision bearings that are being used on both of NASA's Mars Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.

Starsys Research, one of the subcontractors that worked with NASA on the Rover project, fit the bearings onto each of the Rovers. In all, Starsys placed Timken ball bearings on 13 different designs for equipment used on the Rovers.

Timken product engineer Martin Galehouse said the use of the company's bearings for the space project is an important quality statement.

"A poorly functioning bearing in space could be the difference between a successful mission and a failed mission," Galehouse said in a prepared statement. "Starsys Research chose to use Timken bearings because they know that we give them the best chance for a successful mission."

"The bearing envelopes fit our designs nicely for the high-speed bearings used in all the planet gears on every transmission on the Rover," said Jon Evans, director of engineering for Starsys. "Also, previous space success with [Timken's] thin section bearings and the smaller high-speed bearings helped contribute to Starsys's decision to go with Timken as the preferred vendor."

Timken ran tests to make sure the bearings would function in the harsh environment of space. Most of the testing was analytical in nature, and involved looking at different load cases to make sure the bearings are not over-stressed, according to the company. In addition, Starsys performed its own tests to be sure the bearings could operate under a certain torque level so the motors are not overworked.

Spirit landed on Mars Jan. 4, followed by Opportunity on Jan. 25, 2004.

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