The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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The European Service Modules for NASA’s Orion spacecraft are being produced by companies from ten countries in Europe. These are the people designing and building the power house for the Orion spacecraft that will ferry astronauts around the Moon and to the lunar Gateway as part of the Artemis programme.
ESA has designed and is overseeing the development of the part of the Orion spacecraft that supplies air, electricity and propulsion. Much like a train engine pulls passenger carriages and supplies power, the European Service Module will take the Orion capsule to its destination and back.
This video shows the construction of the European Service Modules and the people (and their families) making it happen. More than 20 companies around Europe are building the European Service Module as NASA works on Orion and the Space Launch System. Together humankind is going forward to the Moon, in a sustainable and international endeavour to visit new places and discover new things, travelling farther to return with new experiences and knowledge to help us on Earth.