Seattle in the spotlight: local companies are helping the Artemis II lunar mission, a singer is fighting for victory on The Voice, and the Mariners are giving their star catcher a rest before the Yankees series.
Local companies support the Artemis II launch: how Seattle is helping send humans back to the Moon
Overview: As the world watches the upcoming historic Artemis II launch — the first time in more than half a century that humans will travel beyond low Earth orbit — key roles in the mission are being played not only by giants like NASA. It turns out that companies from Seattle and across Washington state are making invaluable contributions to the lunar program by supplying critically important technologies and services. Their work, often behind the scenes, is a vivid example of how local engineering and manufacturing capacity fuels humanity’s global space ambitions.
Ahead of the Artemis II launch, scheduled for September 2025, it’s clear this flight is the result of enormous efforts by thousands of people and hundreds of companies across the U.S. As KIRO 7 News Seattle reports, the Seattle region is one of those unexpected but vital hubs of the space industry. Artemis II will be the first crewed flight in the Artemis program: four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft will fly around the Moon, testing life-support and deep-space communications systems — a crucial step before a lunar surface landing planned under Artemis III.
One key company whose products will be involved is Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos. Although headquartered in Kent, Washington, its contribution to Artemis is fundamental. The company is developing the Blue Moon lander for future lunar landings, and its BE-7 engines, tested in Huntsville, Alabama, are intended for that vehicle. Moreover, engines from another Bezos company, the BE-3U, are used on the New Glenn rocket’s upper stage, which could become part of lunar mission transport systems in the future. This demonstrates how local technological developments have long-term strategic importance for space exploration.
Another important player is Boeing, whose presence in the Seattle area has long been substantial. Boeing is the prime contractor for the core stage of the giant Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will carry Orion to the Moon. This stage, as tall as a 17-story building, is manufactured in Michoud, Louisiana, but design, engineering support, and program management are closely tied to teams in Huntsville and, indirectly, to engineering talent cultivated in Washington state. Boeing is also involved in developing the crewed CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which, while intended for ISS flights, is part of the broader ecosystem of safe crewed launches refined with NASA.
We should also note the contributions of smaller but no less innovative firms. For example, Aerojet Rocketdyne, with facilities in Redmond, Washington, produces the critical RS-25 engines for SLS’s first stage (these are upgraded shuttle-era engines) and the RL10 engines for the upper stage. These engines provide the thrust needed to escape Earth’s gravity and perform precise maneuvers in space. Another company, Spaceflight Inc., based in Seattle, specializes in rideshare services for small satellites, a growing segment of commercial space infrastructure that supports large government programs.
It’s important to understand some complex concepts. The Artemis program is NASA’s ongoing lunar program aimed at returning humans to the Moon — including the first woman and the first person of color — and establishing a sustainable presence on the satellite as a stepping-stone to Mars. The Orion spacecraft is a new crewed vehicle designed for deep space. The SLS (Space Launch System) rocket is a super heavy-lift launch vehicle, the most powerful ever built, intended to deliver Orion and other cargo to the Moon. Low Earth orbit (LEO) is the region of space up to about 2,000 km altitude, where the ISS orbits; a mission to the Moon requires leaving this zone and going into deep space, which involves far greater risks and technical challenges.
A key insight is that Artemis’s success depends on a complex network of suppliers and contractors across the country. As the report notes, this creates jobs and stimulates high-tech industries in regions like the Pacific Northwest. Quotes and interviews with engineers and company leaders that might have appeared in the original piece would emphasize a sense of pride and responsibility in participating in a historic mission. The implications of this local participation are large: it not only brings the return to the Moon closer but also strengthens Seattle’s standing as one of the new centers of the space industry alongside Houston, Los Angeles, and Cape Canaveral. These are investments in a future where commercial space and government research go hand in hand, opening new economic and scientific horizons.
Seattle singer competes for a win in The Voice knockout rounds
Life can surprise you, and sometimes the path to fame starts in the most unexpected places — for example, in a sauna studio folding towels. That’s the story of Natasha Blaine, a talented Seattle singer who hopes her performance in the knockout round of popular show The Voice will be a turning point in her career. As KING5.com reports, viewers will see tonight whether she can trade her day job for a ticket to the big music world.
Natasha already impressed the judges during the blind auditions, where her vocal skill made John Legend — one of the show’s coaches — turn his chair. That was the first important step confirming her potential. Then in the battle round she prevailed with a rendition of the classic “Walk On By,” popularized by Dionne Warwick. That success showcased not only Natasha’s technical ability but also her skill in conveying emotion through music — a quality highly valued on a show of this caliber.
Now she faces an even tougher test: the knockout round, where contestants perform solo songs and coaches must choose only one of their team members to advance. For Natasha this is more than another stage in the contest; it’s a chance to radically change her life. By day she works part-time in a sauna studio doing routine tasks; by night she dedicates herself to music. Her story is one of persistence and belief in a dream, resonating with many viewers who see their own aspirations reflected in her journey.
The key insight here is how modern talent shows like The Voice become platforms not only for showcasing vocal talent but also for telling human stories that inspire. Natasha Blaine’s success highlights the importance of combining natural gift with hard work — even if that means balancing creativity with an ordinary job. Her progression from blind auditions to the knockout round demonstrates that opportunity can arise at any moment, and being ready often proves decisive.
The implications extend beyond television. If Natasha advances, it would not only open doors in the music industry for her but also motivate other Seattle artists and beyond, showing that location or current employment need not be barriers to achieving goals. Her participation also draws attention to the local cultural scene, underscoring its diversity and talent.
Ultimately, tonight’s knockout round will be a moment of truth for Natasha Blaine. Can she leave behind the towels and saunas to fully commit to music? The answer will not only determine her path in the show but also serve as a vivid example of how dreams can become reality if you fight for them. The Voice viewers and fans in Seattle eagerly await the decision, hoping Natasha’s voice will continue to climb the ranks of the music world.
Cal Raleigh to sit out first game vs. Yankees: Mariners manager explains decision to rest key catcher
For the first game of an important three-game series against the New York Yankees, the Seattle Mariners will play without their star catcher Cal Raleigh. According to FOX 13 Seattle, manager Scott Servais made the decision to give him a day off, citing shortened preparation during spring training and a desire to manage the player’s workload. Raleigh, who caught all four previous games against the Cleveland Guardians, has shown inconsistent hitting early this season.
Servais emphasized the decision was driven by concern for the player’s long-term condition. “He had a pretty shortened spring training, and we didn’t want to ramp his workload up too quickly,” the manager explained. He also noted that Raleigh is the kind of player who is hard to keep out of the lineup because of his strong desire to play, but that today seemed like the right moment for a break. Servais didn’t rule out using the catcher as a pinch hitter. Early-season stats for Raleigh look worrying: in 18 plate appearances he has just two hits (one double), three walks, and ten strikeouts. That poor form extends to other key Mariners hitters: Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor. Together the trio has produced 3 hits in 45 at-bats with 19 strikeouts; Naylor has yet to record a hit in four games. Still, Servais remains calm, reminding that Raleigh had a similar slow start last year when he began the season with 3 hits in 24 at-bats. Despite that, the season ended up historic for him, and he became one of MLB’s top catchers. The manager believes players’ diligent work will soon pay off.
For context, it helps to explain some baseball terms. Spring training is the preseason preparation period where players get back into shape. A strikeout means the batter failed to hit three pitches in the strike zone and is out. A walk occurs when a pitcher throws four balls outside the strike zone and the batter is awarded first base. A pinch-hitter is a player who comes in as a substitute specifically to bat. Servais’s decision is also supported by improved roster depth for the Mariners this season. Having players like Rob Refsnyder, who will serve as designated hitter today, and Mitch Garver, who will catch, makes it possible to give Raleigh a full day off without weakening the team. Last season, when Raleigh wasn’t catching, he often served as the designated hitter, which didn’t provide full physical or mental rest. “A day off for a catcher is always a mental reset,” Servais said. “You’re not involved in the grueling work pitch after pitch and then still have to bat. The value of a full day off is huge.” Thus, the decision to omit Raleigh from the starting lineup against the Yankees is a calculated strategic move aimed at preserving one of the team’s key players over a long, demanding season, especially given his current statistical struggles and the past experience showing a slow start is not fatal for a player of his caliber.
