The role of titanium in spacecraft: Hermith’s perspective on the future of space engineering

Titanium from Apollo to Artemis

Titanium has been a trusted material in aerospace engineering for decades. From the Apollo program (1969–1972), where it was used in structural and pressure-critical components aboard vehicles travelling approximately 386,000 km to the Moon, to NASA's current Artemis program, titanium's role has remained consistent: delivering strength, heat resistance, and reliability where failure is not an option.

Artemis I launched uncrewed in November 2022 — a 25-day test mission covering around 2.3 million km — validating the systems for future crewed flights. Artemis II followed in April 2026 as the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, with astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft. The Orion crew module incorporates titanium in selected structural and thermal-protection-related applications, including components associated with the heat shield system that protects the crew during atmospheric re-entry.

What connects Apollo and Artemis is a consistent engineering principle: use the right material for the right job. Decades of innovation in materials science have not displaced titanium — they have confirmed it.

From material performance to industrial supply

For manufacturers and OEMs, however, material performance must translate into accessible, certified supply. Hermith GmbH supports aerospace and high-tech industries with a broad portfolio of semi-finished titanium products — including bars and rods, wire and wire rod, sheets and plates, as well as tubes and profiles — designed for further machining and integration into mission-critical systems.

Why titanium remains a long-term solution

Titanium's combination of high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion and oxidation resistance, high-temperature stability, and fatigue resistance makes it a long-term solution across aerospace and space-related applications. Hermith's semi-finished products can be processed through machining, forging, and advanced manufacturing techniques, supporting complex geometries and demanding tolerances.

Reliable supply for demanding sectors

With over 20 years of experience and certified quality standards, Hermith GmbH provides reliable and scalable supply for industries where delays and inconsistencies are not acceptable, supporting customers with industrial continuity and technical reliability across aerospace and space-related sectors.

Get in touch with Hermith's team through the provided references.

Editorial note: References to NASA programs, including the Apollo, Artemis and Orion programs, are used for informational and contextual purposes only. Hermith GmbH is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA or any agency referenced in this article.