Astronautics Corporation of America

Astronautics Corporation of America is a privately held United States aerospace and defense technology company that designs and manufactures avionics, flight instrumentation, displays, guidance equipment, and related electronic systems. The company serves airlines, governments, commercial and defense aircraft manufacturers, and avionics integrators. Its equipment has been used in air, maritime, ground, missile, and space applications, and the company states that Astronautics equipment has been installed on more than 150,000 aircraft. Astronautics was established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in June 1959 by siblings Nate Zelazo and Norma Paige. Zelazo had previously worked for the United States Navy Department, while the founding team brought experience in flight instrumentation and advanced aerospace engineering. The company initially pursued military and research work, including a United States Air Force program examining fuel-management techniques for orbital rendezvous vehicles. It subsequently expanded into flight-instrumentation development and production programs for the Navy, Army, and Air Force. During the 1960s and 1970s, Astronautics developed a substantial production capability for military aircraft instrumentation. Its equipment was associated with aircraft including the B-52, F-4, A-4, C-130, UH-1, and P-3. The company later developed complete flight-director systems, including flight-director computers, for military aircraft. Its work moved from electromechanical instruments toward electronic displays and digital avionics as aircraft cockpits became increasingly computerized. A significant technology area was aircraft display equipment. Astronautics received a contract for the Horizontal Situation Display used on the Air Force F-111. That program combined cathode-ray-tube and optical technologies and helped expand the company's engineering, quality, reliability, production, and contract-administration operations. Astronautics also developed head-up displays for the A-10 and the Space Shuttle trainer aircraft. Its display-related activities later included flat-panel systems, multifunction displays, mission and display processors, control and display units, and other cockpit equipment. Outside aerospace, the company supplied medical monitors for computed-tomography scanners and displays for NASA's mission-control center in Houston. The company's international business expanded to include avionics supplied to the governments and aerospace sectors of Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Astronautics also broadened its portfolio into electronic flight instruments, engine-indicating and crew-alerting systems, airborne servers, electronic flight bags, air-data computers, flight-control equipment, enhanced-vision systems, and high-accuracy guidance and navigation systems. In 1988, Astronautics acquired Kearfott Guidance & Navigation Corporation from Singer Corporation. The transaction added inertial-navigation and guidance capabilities used in space and maritime applications and became an important element of Astronautics' broader systems portfolio. The company has also been associated with specialized technologies including gyroscopes, resolvers, synchros, motors, actuators, thermal-imaging and fire-control systems, and magnetic refrigeration. Astronautics has remained a private aerospace supplier rather than a publicly traded company. In early 2019 it purchased a new corporate building in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and most personnel moved to the facility in early 2020. Its current business is centered on supplying integrated avionics and mission systems for commercial, military, government, and specialized transportation applications.

Astronautics Corporation of America began operations in June 1959 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was founded by siblings Nate Zelazo and Norma Paige as an advanced-technology aerospace company. Zelazo's prior experience with the United States Navy Department and the founding staff's background in flight instrumentation shaped the company's early emphasis on aerospace electronics and military research. One of Astronautics' first significant activities was work connected with a United States Air Force investigation of fuel-management techniques for orbital rendezvous vehicles. The company obtained the program while building relationships with local universities and seeking further Navy, Army, and Air Force opportunities. This early research orientation was followed by participation in production programs for military aircraft flight instruments. Astronautics supplied or developed instrumentation associated with a range of United States military aircraft, including the B-52, F-4, A-4, C-130, UH-1, and P-3. As its manufacturing and engineering capabilities matured, the company moved beyond individual instruments to complete flight-director systems, including flight-director computers. This transition gave Astronautics a broader role in aircraft cockpit and flight-control architectures. The company expanded into electronic display technology during the period when cathode-ray tubes and optical systems were being introduced into aircraft cockpits. Its Horizontal Situation Display program for the Air Force F-111 combined CRT and optical technologies and led to growth in engineering, quality, reliability, production, and contract-administration functions. Astronautics later developed head-up displays for the A-10 and the Space Shuttle trainer aircraft. Its display expertise also supported non-aircraft work, including medical monitors for computed-tomography scanners and displays supplied to NASA's mission-control center in Houston. Astronautics subsequently developed flat-panel displays and digital avionics, supplying both military and civilian aircraft. Its portfolio grew to include electronic flight instrument systems, multifunction displays, mission and display processors, engine-indicating and crew-alerting systems, electronic flight bags, airborne and network servers, air-data computers, flight-control systems, and control and display units. The company also became an avionics supplier for high-performance aircraft programs associated with the Italian, German, and British governments. A major corporate development occurred in 1988, when Astronautics acquired Kearfott Guidance & Navigation Corporation from Singer Corporation. Kearfott brought guidance and navigation expertise into the organization, strengthening Astronautics' capabilities in inertial systems and extending its applications into space and maritime equipment. Astronautics' broader product family has also included gyroscopes, resolvers, synchros, motors, actuators, thermal-imaging and fire-control systems, enhanced-vision systems, and magnetic-refrigeration technology. The company has maintained a private ownership and operating structure. In early 2019 it purchased a new corporate building in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Most personnel moved into the facility in early 2020, marking a physical consolidation of much of the company's workforce while maintaining its Wisconsin base. Astronautics has also been associated with the ZS-1, a low-end supercomputer designed by James E. Smith of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Available reference material indicates that one machine was manufactured and is displayed at the Rhode Island Computer Museum, while claims about a larger production run require further verification and are therefore not treated as established company milestones here.

1. 2020Personnel moved to Oak Creek

   Most company personnel moved to the new Oak Creek facility in early 2020.

   Source
2. 2019Oak Creek facility purchased

   Astronautics purchased a new corporate building in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

   Source
3. 1988Acquisition of Kearfott

   Astronautics acquired Kearfott Guidance & Navigation Corporation from Singer Corporation, adding guidance and navigation capabilities.

   Source
4. 1960Early orbital-rendezvous research

   Astronautics obtained a United States Air Force program investigating fuel-management techniques for space-vehicle orbital rendezvous.

   Source
5. 1960Expansion into military flight instrumentation

   The company developed and produced flight instrumentation for a number of United States military aircraft and later complete flight-director systems.

   Source
6. 1959Company founded in Milwaukee

   Nate Zelazo and Norma Paige established Astronautics Corporation of America as an advanced aerospace-technology company.

   Source

A privately held, engineering-led supplier of avionics, cockpit displays, flight-control equipment, and guidance and navigation systems for commercial, military, government, maritime, and space applications.

• Integrated Avionics SystemsAvionics

  Integrated systems combining cockpit instrumentation, display, processing, flight-management, and control functions for aircraft and other demanding platforms. Astronautics develops avionics for commercial, military, government, and specialized applications.

• Electronic Flight Instrument Systems and DisplaysCockpit avionics

  Astronautics produces electronic flight instruments, cathode-ray-tube and flat-panel displays, multifunction displays, head-up displays, and related cockpit equipment. These products evolved from the company's earlier military flight-instrumentation and Horizontal Situation Display work.

• Mission and Display ProcessorsAvionics computing

  Mission and display processors provide computing and data-processing functions for aircraft displays, mission systems, and integrated avionics architectures. They are part of Astronautics' move from standalone instruments toward digital, networked cockpit systems.

• Electronic Flight BagsFlight operations technology

  Electronic flight-bag systems support the presentation and management of operational information for flight crews, replacing or supplementing paper-based materials with integrated electronic tools.

• Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting SystemsAircraft monitoring

  These systems present engine performance information and aircraft alerts to flight crews. They form part of the cockpit monitoring and crew-information product family supplied for aircraft applications.

• Airborne and Network Server SystemsAircraft data systems

  Astronautics supplies airborne file servers and network server systems that support data storage, distribution, and connectivity within aircraft avionics environments.

• Guidance and Navigation SystemsNavigation and flight control1988

  The company's guidance portfolio includes inertial guidance, high-accuracy navigation, electromechanical navigation instruments, gyroscopes, resolvers, synchros, motors, and actuators. The Kearfott acquisition strengthened this area for space, maritime, and other applications.

• Flight-Control and Air-Data SystemsFlight-control avionics

  This group includes flight directors, flight-control systems, flap-control systems, and air-data computers. These products support aircraft control, flight guidance, and the measurement and processing of atmospheric and aircraft-performance data.

• Enhanced-Vision and Fire-Control SystemsDefense and situational awareness

  Astronautics' specialized defense technologies include enhanced-vision systems and fire-control or thermal-imaging equipment. These systems are intended to improve crew awareness, targeting, and operation in difficult visual or environmental conditions.

• 2019Consolidate operations in a new Oak Creek facilityStrategy

  Astronautics required a new corporate facility for its Wisconsin operations.

  What changed. The company purchased a new building in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

  Aftermath. Most personnel relocated to the facility in early 2020.

  Source
• 1988Acquire Kearfott Guidance & Navigation CorporationM&A

  Astronautics sought to broaden its avionics business beyond displays and flight instrumentation into high-accuracy guidance and navigation.

  What changed. The company purchased Kearfott Guidance & Navigation Corporation from Singer Corporation.

  Aftermath. The acquisition expanded Astronautics' capabilities in inertial navigation and supported applications in space and maritime systems.

  Source

• 2019Astronautics purchased a new corporate facility in Oak Creek

  The company purchased a new corporate building in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, with most personnel relocating there in early 2020.

  Other
  Source
• 2005Boeing named Astronautics to the 787 Dreamliner partner team

  Boeing identified Astronautics as a member of the partner team for the 787 Dreamliner program, reflecting the company's participation in a major commercial-aircraft development effort.

  Other
  Source
• 1988Astronautics acquired Kearfott Guidance & Navigation Corporation

  Astronautics purchased Kearfott Corporation from Singer Corporation, adding inertial guidance and navigation capabilities serving space, maritime, and other demanding applications.

  M&A
  Source

1. Astronautics Corporation of America
2. Astronautics Corporation of America official website