The European Service Module (ESM) is ESA’s contribution to NASA’s Orion spacecraft that will send astronauts to the Moon and beyond.

The European Space Agency is playing a vital role in humankind’s return to the Moon. Airbus is ESA’s prime contractor for building the first six service modules with parts made in ten countries in Europe.

The first mission for ESM will be Artemis I. ESM-1’s main engine and 32 thrusters will take the spacecraft more than 64 000 km beyond the Moon in an uncrewed test flight to demonstrate its capabilities.

The second Artemis mission has a crucial difference: it will carry four astronauts for a lunar flyby. ESM-2 will provide propulsion, power, oxygen, water and life support as well as controlling the temperature in the orbiting crew module. ESM-3 will go one step further and put the first person on the Moon for 50 years.