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image captionArtwork: The service module will push the Orion capsule through space
Europe will be building a further three service modules for the US space agency s (Nasa) Orion crew capsule.
The module is the back end of the American astronaut vehicle, and provides propulsion and electrical power, as well as life-supporting supplies of water and oxygen.
Europe had already committed to build three service modules.
Tuesday s contract between the European Space Agency (Esa) and Airbus takes the total number now to six.
All the European Service Modules (ESMs) will be used on Nasa s Artemis missions. Artemis is the follow-up to Apollo and will see astronauts once again walk on the surface of the Moon, as well as operating a station in lunar orbit called the Gateway.
Artemis, Orion and the quest to get humans to the moon again
A virtual tour of European Service Modules headed for the moon on NASA s human spaceflight program Artemis is not what it seems. Astronauts will fly to the moon and an orbiting base but it s gentlemen first, please.
A cleanroom is a surreal space inhabited almost exclusively by enthusiastic men
If you ve ever been on a tour of a cleanroom a sterile environment where engineers build and test satellites and other spacecraft you will know it s a pretty surreal experience.
You re standing there, starring up at a rough and unfinished-looking object, seemingly wrapped in kitchen aluminum foil, with wires and solar panels sticking out at various angles and it s tough imagining what the thing will actually do when it s in an operational environment.
news
Europe to make more hardware for US Moon missions
Europe will be building a further three service modules for the US space agency s (Nasa) Orion crew capsule.
The module is the back end of the American astronaut vehicle, and provides propulsion and electrical power, as well as life-supporting supplies of water and oxygen.
Europe had already committed to build three service modules.
Tuesday s contract between the European Space Agency (Esa) and Airbus takes the total number now to six.
All the European Service Modules (ESMs) be used on Nasa s Artemis missions. Artemis is the follow-up to Apollo and will see astronauts once again walk on the surface of the Moon, as well as operating a station in lunar orbit called the Gateway.