JOHANNESBURG – The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a € 650 million ($ 790 million) contract with Airbus Space and Defense to produce three more service modules for NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
The European Service Module (EMS) is the 15,000 kilogram power source of NASA’s Orion spacecraft. In addition to propulsion, it provides consumables such as oxygen and water, thermal control and electric power. The manufacture of service modules for the Orion spacecraft is part of ESA’s long-term involvement with Artemis, NASA’s effort to bring humanity back to the lunar surface.
The finalization of the € 650 million contract to manufacture ESM-4 to 6 was announced on 2 February as part of a joint information session of ESA and Airbus. The fixed fixed-price contract brings the total number of ESMs that Airbus has to build to six.
The first ESM to launch from production line at Airbus’ plant in Bremen, Germany was delivered in November 2018 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. It is currently undergoing final integration with the Lockheed-Martin-built Orion spacecraft for Artemis 1, an unmanned test flight that will be launched later this year to certify the spacecraft and the Space Launch System. (SLS) rocket as safe for human spaceflight.
EMS-2, which will be used for Artemis 2, the first mission of the program, is currently in the final stages of production, with delivery later this year. EMS-3, which will be used for the Artemis 3 mission aimed at delivering astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years, is in the early stages of integration in Bremen, with delivery scheduled for October 2022 is expected.
The three additional Orion service modules are earmarked for use by Artemis 4 through 6. Two of the three missions are in support of the construction of the Lunar Gateway, a planned space station in an orbit around the moon intended for missions to the lunar surface.
In providing the service modules for NASA’s Orion spacecraft, ESA continues the arrangement with the United States for equipment for access to the International Space Station and future Artemis missions. According to ESA Director David Parker, Human and Robot Exploration, Europe has already secured three seats aboard Orion missions through its participation in Gateway.