Artemis II lifted off from Cape Canaveral on April 1, 2026, carrying four astronauts on the first crewed trip to the Moon since 1972. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen are on a 10-day journey that will take them around the far side of the Moon and back. The crew will travel farther from Earth than any humans in history, breaking the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. NASA designed it as a test flight to prove the systems needed for future lunar missions.
Each Orion Crew Survival System spacesuit holds a Benchmade 916SBK-ORG Triage, a folding rescue tool originally designed for first responders that NASA selected to give the crew extra options during the flight. The orange-handled 916SBK-ORG sold out before launch day. It’s the kind of endorsement most knife companies can only dream about, and it says something real about what Benchmade has built over nearly 40 years.
Price: $325
Where to Buy: Benchmade
“We at Benchmade have always believed in building premium tools that perform no matter the situation,” says Vice President of Marketing Joe Prebich. “It’s amazing to know the men and women of Artemis II will have a tool they can rely on as they venture into a pivotal next chapter of space exploration.”
Why the Triage Made the Cut
The Triage wasn’t built for space, but it was built for situations where failure isn’t an option. Director of Product Line Management Vance Collver explains the design. He says the knife had to combine the reliability of Benchmade’s tactical folders, the strength of the AXIS lock, the speed of its rescue hook, and a strong glass breaker. It packed all of that into an everyday carry size with a reversible pocket clip. That combination made the Triage a natural fit when NASA came looking.
What sealed it for the space agency was the large grip, blunt tip, and strap cutter. Those three elements let astronauts safely operate the tool with thick gloves inside pressurized spacesuits. It’s a strict requirement that narrows the field fast. Few folding knives check all three boxes in a single tool.
The 3.5-inch blade uses rust-resistant N680 steel finished in Cerakote for added durability in harsh environments. It features a partially serrated edge built to cut tough fabrics and cords under load. Its flat, blunt tip works well for prying and scraping while boosting overall toughness. You notice the intent fast: every spec on this knife exists to prevent accidental punctures near a pressurized suit. Nothing here is just for looks. A 440C stainless steel folding hook slices through straps, cords, and webbing without damaging the main blade or risking injury. The carbide glass breaker rounds out what amounts to a three-tool rescue kit in one handle. That’s smart engineering for a tool that started its career on ambulances.
Benchmade’s AXIS lock works for both hands and allows easy one-handed opening and closing. That detail matters much more in thick spacesuit gloves than it does on a camping trip. The temperature-resistant G10 scales offer a steady, textured grip that holds up in extreme conditions. It measures 8.20 inches open and 4.70 inches closed, sized to stow inside the spacesuit without trouble. That’s a knife, a strap cutter, and a glass breaker packed into something under five inches closed. It’s a significant amount of utility for the space it takes up.
A Rescue Tool With History
Designer Greg Foster debuted the Triage at SHOT Show in January 2011 as the Model 915. He built it around a simple concept: give first responders a knife, a hook cutter, and a glass breaker in one package. EMTs, firefighters, and search-and-rescue teams adopted it fast as a primary tool for field emergencies. It won Knife of the Year from the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence that same year. The recognition confirmed what the first responder community already saw: three rescue functions in one folding handle worked under real pressure.
The lineup has since grown into a full family of models. The 916 adds a blunt-tip blade profile and is the version heading to the Moon. The 917 takes a more tactical direction with a different blade shape and upgraded steel. There’s also an auto-open edition for operators who need the fastest possible deployment. Each variant keeps the core Triage DNA: the AXIS lock, the folding hook, the glass breaker, and the textured G10 grip. Benchmade hasn’t strayed from the original design logic. That consistency shows across every model in the family.
Over a decade of real-world use by first responders happened before NASA’s selection. The Triage had already earned a strong following among emergency crews when the space agency came calling. All future Artemis missions will carry the Triage in their crew spacesuits, making this more than a one-time appearance. Benchmade builds these tools at its Oregon facility. The brand is now part of the standard crew equipment for NASA’s return to the Moon.
Price: $325
Where to Buy: Benchmade
Pricing and Availability
The orange-handled 916SBK-ORG is currently sold out. The black version is spec-for-spec identical and available directly through Benchmade for $325. Both share the same N680 blade, AXIS lock, folding hook, glass breaker, and G10 handle material.
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(as of April 1, 2026 19:28 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
