Prepared lunar descent operation - Airbus handovers third component for Orion spacecraft's construction
The Airbus facility in Bremen has dispatched a crucial cargo for the Orion spacecraft, which is scheduled to touch down on the Lunar surface shortly. The third European Service Module (ESM) is en route to the United States, as confirmed by the company and the Bremen Economic Department. Upon arrival, it will undergo assembly and testing. The spacecraft aims to bring astronauts back to the Moon's surface for the first time since the 1970s.
As per the company's info, the module is in charge of propulsion, energy supply, and temperature control, and will supply astronauts with water and oxygen during their sojourns. The ESM is situated beneath the astronaut capsule, forming the complete Orion spacecraft. Airbus manufactured the module on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA) for NASA's planned Moon landing in September 2026.
During the Artemis III mission, astronauts will once again tread on the Moon's surface following over half a century. Two out of the four crew members will spend approximately a week on the Moon.
The ESM, manufactured by Airbus for NASA and the ESA, is crucial for the Orion spacecraft's propulsion, energy supply, temperature control, and life support systems. Upon completion of testing and assembly in the United States, the third ESM will be integral to the Orion spacecraft's mission to bring astronauts back to the Lunar surface.
