11-27-2018

FERNDALE, Wash. — As NASA celebrates the InSight Lander’s successful Mars landing, the City of Ferndale is taking the opportunity to promote local companies that helped make the expedition possible.

The Timken Company has a manufacturing facility and Samson Rope is headquartered in Ferndale, and both have a history of involvement with space rovers and shuttle missions.

Bearings made by Timken were used in the Opportunity and Spirit Rovers in 2004, the Curiosity Rover in 2012 and the InSight Lander.

Samson is behind the synthetic rope serving various other purposes on the space station, shuttles and landers.

“With all this Ferndale material on Mars, I believe we may need to annex part of the red planet,” said Mayor Jon Mutchler. “At least, we should consider a sister-planet program.”