Meet the Orion Service Module, the Europe-built brain of the Orion capsule
[ad_1]
A precious cargo has arrived from Europe at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this week: The European-built service module that, in 2023, will power the first human mission to the moon since the Apollo era.
But what exactly is the European Service Module (ESM), and why did NASA entrust the old continent’s engineers with building the critical component for the historic mission?
In fact, this is already the second Orion service module developed by the European industry. The one currently mated with the crew capsule that will fly empty to the moon and back later this year or in early 2022 was also built by a consortium led by the European aerospace giant Airbus.
Assembled in Germany’s northern city of Bremen, that first European Service Module (or ESM-1) is named in honor of its hometown, Catherine Koerner, NASA’s Orion program manager said during an Airbus press briefing on Wednesday (Oct. 6).
Building the service module, which will handle propulsion, power and thermal control for the empty Orion capsule (and later also life-support for flights with astronauts) has been a big deal for the Europeans. The last time humans went for the moon, they were left out. Now, not only are they providing a mission-critical piece of technology but also have earned three seats for European astronauts on the planned Artemis missions.
So far, six Orion Service Modules are being built under a contract between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Airbus, and another batch of three is being negotiated. Despite the COVID 19 pandemic-related delays, Airbus managed to deliver ESM-2 on schedule and is on track to producing one service module per year, ESA said in a statement.
The ATV legacy
When designing the 14-foot (4 meters) wide, 14-foot-high cylindrical service module, Airbus engineers drew on their experience with the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), the autonomous expendable cargo ship that hauled supplies to the International Space Station between 2008 and 2014. The Airbus-led consortium had built five ATVs, each the size of a double-decker bus, in that period, each of which could take up to 14,330 lbs. (6,500 kilograms) of cargo to the orbital outpost. Unlike SpaceX’s Dragon cargo ship, the ATVs burned upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere filled with trash and unneeded items from the space station.
The ATVs, which were capable of docking on their own, were Airbus’ springboard to the flagship NASA Artemis program, which promises to usher in a new era of space exploration.
“The development of the Orion Service Module started 10 years ago,” Didier Radola, Orion Service Module project manager at Airbus said during the briefing. “Now we have a major solid program, which is running at full-speed. The first service module is now integrated with the Orion vehicle for the first Artemis mission. The second service module is ready for shipment to Kennedy, the third one is undergoing integration.”
Space shuttle engines
Just like the ATV, the Orion service module is fitted with four 23-foot (7 m) solar wings arranged in an X-shape. Each of these wings consists of three panels that provide enough electricity to power two three-bedroom homes, according to NASA.
The service module inherited its main engine from the space shuttle. Built by Aerojet Rocketdyne, the AJ10 engine swivels from side to side to control the direction of the flight. The one on ESM-2 is a refurbished engine from space shuttle Atlantis, the fourth out of the five shuttles built by NASA and the last to fly to space. In the future, a new engine will have to be found for the Orion service module since the supply of space shuttle engines will run out with ESM-6, Airbus representatives said in the briefing.
The module also features eight R-4D-11 engines, descendants from the Apollo era, and six pods of four reaction control system engines custom-designed by Airbus that will take care of maneuvering and position control.
For its debut 25-day journey to the moon, the spacecraft will carry 8.6 tons of fuel, enough to demonstrate its capabilities by flying more than 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers) beyond Earth’s natural satellite, Airbus said in a statement.
A lot of moving parts
The 13-ton service module consists of more than 20,000 components including the engines, electrical equipment, solar panels, fuel tanks and life support parts. All that is bound together with several kilometers of cables and tubing.
After completing its trans-Atlantic voyage, ESM-2 will be mated with the Orion Crew Module and undergo two years of testing before the ground-breaking crewed launch of the Artemis 2 mission, which is currently scheduled for September 2023.
During the crewed mission, the service module will carry water and oxygen and manage the technology maintaining breathable atmosphere and comfortable temperature for the four pioneering astronauts.
Future Orion spacecraft will dock with the new space station to be built in the orbit around the moon, the Lunar Gateway.
Follow Tereza Pultarova on Twitter @TerezaPultarova. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
[ad_2]
Original Post
I have been surfing online more than 3 hours today, but I by no means found any interesting article like yours. It is beautiful worth sufficient for me. In my view, if all website owners and bloggers made excellent content material as you probably did, the net will likely be a lot more useful than ever before.
Its good as your other blog posts : D, thanks for putting up. “Experience is that marvelous thing that enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.” by Franklin P. Jones.
Hello, you used to write magnificent, but the last several posts have been kinda boring… I miss your great writings. Past several posts are just a little out of track! come on!
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an impatience over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this hike.
Wow, marvelous blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is wonderful, as well as the content!
I do trust all of the ideas you’ve offered in your post. They’re really convincing and can definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are too quick for newbies. May just you please prolong them a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.
Hi my family member! I wish to say that this post is awesome, great written and include almost all important infos. I’d like to peer more posts like this.
After study a few of the blog posts on your website now, and I truly like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my web site as well and let me know what you think.
It is really a nice and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
Keep working ,remarkable job!
Hey there, You’ve done an excellent job. I will definitely digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I am confident they will be benefited from this site.
I’d must verify with you here. Which is not something I normally do! I enjoy studying a post that will make individuals think. Also, thanks for allowing me to remark!
I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thank you, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your site?
Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and net and this is really annoying. A good site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for keeping this web site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.
I like what you guys are up also. Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website :).
Some genuinely wonderful information, Gladiolus I noticed this. “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.” by Mother Theresa.
Thank you for each of your effort on this blog. My mother really loves working on research and it is easy to see why. Most of us hear all about the lively medium you provide rewarding guidelines via your web blog and as well boost participation from other people on this topic plus our simple princess is undoubtedly studying a great deal. Take advantage of the remaining portion of the year. You are conducting a fantastic job.
Excellent goods from you, man. I have keep in mind your stuff previous to and you are simply extremely fantastic. I really like what you have got right here, really like what you are saying and the best way in which you say it. You’re making it entertaining and you continue to care for to keep it smart. I can’t wait to learn much more from you. That is really a terrific website.
Aw, this was a very nice post. In thought I would like to put in writing like this additionally – taking time and precise effort to make an excellent article… however what can I say… I procrastinate alot and not at all appear to get one thing done.
Great goods from you, man. I’ve understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely magnificent. I actually like what you have acquired here, certainly like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it wise. I cant wait to read far more from you. This is actually a terrific website.
I am not really good with English but I line up this very leisurely to understand.
I just couldn’t go away your site before suggesting that I really loved the usual information an individual provide in your visitors? Is going to be back frequently in order to check out new posts
I am glad to be a visitor of this utter web site! , appreciate it for this rare information! .
Thanks – Enjoyed this blog post, is there any way I can receive an email when there is a new post?
I reckon something truly special in this site.
Hmm is anyone else having problems with the pictures on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
With the whole thing which seems to be building inside this particular subject matter, a significant percentage of viewpoints happen to be somewhat radical. However, I beg your pardon, because I do not give credence to your entire idea, all be it stimulating none the less. It looks to us that your commentary are generally not totally validated and in reality you are generally your self not thoroughly certain of your assertion. In any event I did enjoy reading it.
Wonderful beat ! I wish to apprentice even as you amend your web site, how can i subscribe for a blog site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I have been a little bit familiar of this your broadcast offered vibrant transparent idea
Some really interesting info , well written and generally user friendly.
Hey, you used to write fantastic, but the last several posts have been kinda boring?K I miss your tremendous writings. Past several posts are just a little out of track! come on!
Well I definitely liked reading it. This information procured by you is very useful for good planning.
What is a Sugar Defender? Sugar Shield could be an affront affectability enhancement product that effectively supports stable blood sugar levels.
I have been reading out many of your posts and i must say pretty good stuff. I will definitely bookmark your website.
But wanna remark that you have a very decent web site, I love the style it really stands out.
Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The text in your content seem to be running off the screen in Chrome. I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to let you know. The design and style look great though! Hope you get the problem solved soon. Many thanks
I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my site 🙂
I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thank you, I will try and check back more often. How frequently you update your web site?
Enjoyed looking at this, very good stuff, regards. “The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.” by Mother Theresa.
I really prize your work, Great post.
Oh my goodness! an amazing article dude. Thanks Nonetheless I am experiencing challenge with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting identical rss problem? Anybody who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx
Thankyou for this wonderful post, I am glad I discovered this site on yahoo.