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Orion’s Service Module is under construction in Germany

May 24th, 2016

Soon, NASA’s Orion spacecraft will take astronauts into deep space. What’s happening right now to make that a reality?

Airbus Defense and Space announced last week that assembly has started on an important part of the Orion spacecraft – the European Service Module (ESM). The ESM will supply the power and propulsion for the Orion spacecraft as well as the life support systems for astronauts.

Orion exploded view showing the service module, crew module and launch abort system.

Airbus Defense and Space was chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) to be the prime contractor for the Orion service module. In this capacity, they will develop and construct the ESM in Bremen, Germany. This involves the integration of more than 20,000 parts and components.

The ESM will include solar arrays, propellant, and the main propulsion capability for the Orion spacecraft. It will also include the orbital maneuvering and attitude control functions, water and oxygen for the astronauts, thermal control, and hundreds of meters of cables and tubes.

When the service module is combined with the crew capsule and launch abort system, NASA will truly have the capability to send humans into deep space.

Click here for a quick primer on Orion.

In 2018, Orion will launch on top of NASA’s new rocket, Space Launch System (SLS). Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) will send Orion thousands of miles beyond the moon to help prepare for manned missions and eventually the Journey to Mars.

To learn more about Exploration Mission-1, click here.

Visit NASA.gov to learn more about Orion!

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