Artemis II: crew and service module separate

Artist impression of Artemis II when the crew and service modules separate. On the last day of the mission, Orion's crew module and service module - composed of ESA's European Service Module and the Crew Module Adapter - will separate. They will both enter Earth's atmosphere - the service module will burn up harmlessly, and the crew module will splashdown safely in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.

The European Service Module is the powerhouse of the Orion spacecraft that will ferry astronauts towards the Moon and back during Artemis II. Our module provides life support for the astronauts - air, water, and a comfortable temperature - as well as electricity with its four solar arrays and propulsion through space with its 33 engines.

Built by European industry led by ESA, the European Service Module is assembled by prime contractor Airbus in Bremen, Germany, with contributions from more than 20 companies across 10 European countries.