NASA turns to Lesjöfors again for Mars rover mission

A spring manufacturer has highlighted its role in two of NASA’s most successful Mars exploration missions after components it produced were selected for both the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers.

John Evans’ Sons, part of the Lesjöfors Group, said its constant force springs have been operating on Mars since Curiosity landed in 2012, with the company later chosen again by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to supply the same critical components for the Perseverance rover.

The manufacturer joined the Perseverance programme in 2018, working with JPL on design refinement, material selection, qualification testing and production nearly two years before the rover launched in July 2020.

NASA reused the company’s springs as part of Perseverance’s rocker-bogie suspension system, which helps the rover maintain stability while traversing rocks, steep slopes and other challenging terrain on the Martian surface. The repeat selection followed the success of Curiosity, with NASA retaining the proven spring design as part of Perseverance’s architecture.

David Devoe, CEO of John Evans’ Sons and Vice President of Lesjöfors Business Region North America, said the second collaboration reflected the confidence NASA had developed in the company’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities.

“Supporting the Curiosity programme was a proud moment for everyone at John Evans’ Sons, so when NASA’s JPL returned to us for Perseverance, it meant even more,” said Devoe. “It reflected the confidence built over many years in our engineering, our manufacturing and, most importantly, our people.”

He added that space exploration places unique demands on manufacturers because components must perform flawlessly without the possibility of maintenance once a mission begins.

“Space missions leave no room for compromise. Every component has to perform exactly as intended because there is no opportunity for maintenance or repair once the mission begins. Knowing our springs continue to support both Curiosity and Perseverance as they explore Mars is something the whole team is incredibly proud of.”

The company, which has manufactured springs since 1850, said the programme demonstrates how specialist manufacturers can contribute to highly demanding aerospace and space exploration applications, where reliability and precision engineering are critical.

Lesjöfors said the NASA collaboration showcases the wider engineering capabilities available across its global manufacturing network, supporting customers operating in some of the world’s most demanding environments.