Reach Systems Receives NASA Order for Cable Reel Supporting Artemis-Related Ground Technology Demonstration

NANAIMO, BRITISH COLUMBIA — June 23, 2026 — Reach Systems has received an order from NASA for a custom winch, a tailored version of its CROC XL tether management system, to support ground testing related to Artemis activities.

The winch will be used in the development of a ground technology demonstration system on Earth for laying electrical cable to connect assets together. For this application, the CROC XL was customized to let NASA integrate its own standard motor. The requirement reflects a growing need across advanced field robotics, ocean technology, defence, and space-adjacent testing environments: controlled deployment of power, data, and communications infrastructure where cable management is mission-critical.

Reach Systems, based in Nanaimo, British Columbia, designs and manufactures winches, reels, tether management systems, and subsea technology used in demanding environments where controlled deployment and recovery matter.

“Controlled deployment and recovery of cable is one of the hardest, least visible problems in complex operations, whether the setting is subsea, on deck, or a ground test on land. That is exactly the problem our hardware is built to solve,” said Colin Dobell, CEO of Reach Systems. “This order is a meaningful example of how deployment and recovery hardware developed for harsh environments can support a wide range of technical applications.”

NASA personnel identified Reach Systems while evaluating tether management options capable of supporting the cable length and deployment requirements.

For Reach Systems, the order reinforces the company’s broader focus on the often-overlooked layer between payload and platform: the hardware that gets sensors, cables, tools, and systems into position, keeps them connected, and brings them back under control.

“People often focus on the payload or the vehicle, but deployment is what makes many missions possible,” said Dobell. “A winch may look simple from the outside, but the engineering behind controlled payout, recovery, integration, connectivity, and reliability becomes increasingly important as systems become more capable.”

The NASA order follows continued development of Reach Systems’ winch and tether management product line for customers working across ocean research, commercial diving, inspection, defence, and remote operations.

References to NASA and Artemis in this release are factual and do not imply NASA endorsement, sponsorship, approval, or preference for Reach Systems or its products.