Pioneer Aerospace began operation in Columbia in 1933 and has designed and manufactured recovery systems for NASA’s Jupiter Galileo Probe, the Space Shuttle, the Mars Pathfinder missions, the Genesis Solar Particle Return Capsule, the Stardust Comet Intercept Probe and Mars Exploration Rovers projects. Additionally, in 1999 Pioneer built the world’s largest Para foil at 7,500 sq ft for NASA’s x-38 Crew Return Vehicle—and emergency escape system for the international Space Station.