Duluth Foundry Supplied Crawler Shoes for NASA

A Duluth manufacturing foundry has spent two decades producing essential heavy-duty trackpads for NASA's space rockets.

Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Space

Isometric editorial illustration of a heavy industrial cast-steel trackpad plate featuring geometric bolt holes, evoking aerospace supply chain manufacturing. — ME Elecmetal’s Duluth foundry has provided specialized crawler transporter trackpads for NASA’s heavy-lift rocket missions for the past two decades. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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For over 20 years, ME Elecmetal has served as the sole domestic provider of crawler transporter shoes manufactured at its century-old facility in Duluth. These components are vital for moving massive rockets, weighing up to 6 million pounds, from assembly buildings to the launch pad.

Why it matters

The partnership began in 2004 when NASA required a supplier capable of manufacturing specialized, high-durability hardware under strict time constraints. ME Elecmetal remains the only company approved to produce these critical trackpads for the agency.

Each crawler transporter shoe measures 90 inches wide and weighs 2,100 pounds. These units connect to form the tracks that support rockets reaching 6 million pounds in total weight.

The players

ME Elecmetal

This company operates a 100-year-old foundry in Duluth and is the only domestic manufacturer approved to produce trackpads for NASA.

NASA

The United States government agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program and aeronautics research.

The details

The Duluth foundry, which has been in operation for 100 years, produces these shoes to support the heavy tracks required for transporting rockets. By maintaining this domestic supply chain, NASA ensures that parts meet precise requirements for their heavy-lift operations.

ME Elecmetal produced 1,000 crawler transporter shoes for NASA in 2004.
The company produced 454 crawler transporter shoes for NASA in 2021.

The Big Picture

This manufacturing work is integral to the long-term operational success of the NASA crawler-transporter system. By sustaining domestic production of these components, the partnership preserves the specialized industrial base required for heavy-lift space transport infrastructure.

The use of these custom-engineered trackpads allows NASA to transport multi-million-pound rockets safely across the ground. Continued local production supports regional manufacturing jobs while ensuring mission-critical equipment remains available for domestic launch operations.

The takeaway

Reliable heavy-industry partnerships are essential for enabling the logistical movement of massive aerospace hardware. Supporting specialized domestic manufacturing ensures that critical space program infrastructure remains operational for future launch cycles.