SPRINGFIELD – Chosen by voters from an initial field of more than 100 entries, the NASA Standard Initiator made by Chemring Energetic Devices in Downers Grove has been crowned the winner of the 2026 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.
Hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and sponsored by Comcast Business, the bracket-style competition celebrates the incredible work of manufacturers across Illinois. Manufacturing is the largest contributor of any industry to the state’s Gross Domestic Product, supporting nearly a third of all jobs in Illinois and contributing more than $580 billion to the state’s economy each year.
With nearly 167,000 votes cast throughout the eight-week competition, the NASA Standard Initiator was awarded the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois, which was announced on Wednesday by Gov. JB Pritzker during a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion. Manufactured by Chemring Energetic Devices in Downers Grove, the NASA Standard Initiator is an electrically activated pyrotechnic device that played a critical role in the recent launch of the Artemis II/Orion mission.
“Congratulations to the NASA Standard Initiator for being named the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. This year’s winner is truly out of this world and represents the very best of Illinois manufacturing, embodying the creativity and innovation that is the hallmark of our incredible industry. The NASA Standard Initiator helped propel Artemis II and the Orion spacecraft further into space than ever before and allowed astronauts to see the dark side of the Moon and set the stage for a lunar landing,” said Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “While only one winner can claim the title, all of the products and manufacturers nominated deserve recognition for their hard work and many contributions to our economy and our society.”
“I’m proud to congratulate the brilliant minds at Chemring Energetic Devices on their Makers Madness victory. The NASA Standard Initiator helped make Artemis II’s historic mission possible and literally took Illinois innovation to the moon,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinois’ remarkable inventors are shaping the world’s future every day, and our state’s thriving manufacturing sector continues to power that progress.”
“We are honored to receive this recognition as “The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois” for the NASA Standard Initiator (NSI). The NSI has become a symbol of reliability, ingenuity and precision while supporting countless mission critical moments—from staging and separation to maneuvers that carry exploration forward,” said Karen Kern, Principal Contracts Manager, Chemring Energetic Devices, Inc. “As the only provider of NSI initiators to NASA, Chemring Energetic Devices is proud to contribute to humanity’s most ambitious achievements. The NSI has flown on every NASA mission since Apollo and most recently was a critical part of the historic Artemis II mission. This recognition is a celebration of our fantastic employees and their craftsmanship, dedication, and passion.”
Wikipedia provided additional information on the NASA Standard Initiator:
Uses of the device include:
- Setting off pressure cartridges, pocket sized gas generatorswhich in turn pneumatically activate other systems.
- Setting off the NASA standard detonator, which itself activates other systems explosively.
- Triggering Pyrotechnic Circuit Interrupters, severing bundles of electrical cables.
- Triggering explosive valvesto open/close pressurization lines or fuel lines.
- Triggering a pyrotechnic pin puller which opens a Marman clamp, separating two spacecraft.
- Acting as an igniter.
Other finalists included the John Deere Combine, a high capacity agriculture equipment with advanced automation to improve harvesting productivity, manufactured by John Deere in East Moline; Duck Skimmer, a self-adjusting, floating weir skimmer used to advance environmental protection and safety, manufactured by Elastec in Carmi; and the Aerapy PPR HVAC UV System, a rooftop ultraviolet (UV-C) disinfection system that can reduce airborne pathogens and increase HVAC efficiency, manufactured by Aerapy in St. Charles.
“Comcast Business congratulates the NASA Standard Initiator for winning the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois after weeks of tough competition,” said Sean McCarthy, Comcast’s Regional Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives. “We are proud to partner with the IMA on this year’s Makers Madness competition and continue our impactful collaboration with manufacturers as they grow and invest throughout Illinois.”
Last year’s champion was the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump, a pump that provides rapid and reliable water access for aerial firefighting teams, made by MTH pumps in Plano. Previous contest winners include the Komatsu mining truck made by Komatsu in Peoria; the Rosenberg Moon Habitat by Ingersoll Machine Tools in Rockford; Rivian’s all-electric R1T truck made in Normal; the Self-Regulating Traffic Signal Heater by Termico Technologies in Elk Grove Village; and the 797F Mining Truck, the world’s largest mechanical truck, manufactured by Caterpillar, Inc. in Decatur.
Timeline of events:
February 16 – March 8: Nominations open and accepted at www.makersmadnessil.com
March 10 – March 22: Nomination voting
March 24: Top 16 Announced
March 24 – March 29: First round of voting
March 31: Top 8 Announced
March 31 – April 5: Second round of voting
April 7: Top 4 Announced
April 7 – April 12: Final round of voting
April 15: Winner of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois announced during awards luncheon at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield
About the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA)
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association is the only statewide association dedicated exclusively to advocating, promoting and strengthening the manufacturing sector in Illinois. The IMA is the oldest and largest state manufacturing trade association in the United States, representing nearly 4,000 companies and facilities. For more information, visit https://ima-net.org/.