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02 APR. 2026
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At 00:35 CEST today (18:35 local time on 1 April), NASA's Space Launch System rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on Artemis II. At the heart of the mission is ESA's European Service Module, which powers, propels and sustains the Orion spacecraft and its crew on their journey around the Moon and safely back to Earth.
Over the next 10 days, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, together with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will fly around the Moon and return safely to Earth, the first journey of its kind since Apollo 17 in 1972, over half a century ago.
Powering Orion on this historic voyage is our second European Service Module, which is responsible for life support for the astronauts, as well as power generation and propulsion. Its four solar arrays, each stretching seven metres, give electricity to the spacecraft, while its systems provide air, water, and a comfortable temperature for the astronauts. Thirty-three engines, including a powerful repurposed Space Shuttle engine, will guide Orion through deep space and perform critical manoeuvres on the lunar journey.
Over the next 10 days, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, together with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will fly around the Moon and return safely to Earth, the first journey of its kind since Apollo 17 in 1972, over half a century ago.
Powering Orion on this historic voyage is our second European Service Module, which is responsible for life support for the astronauts, as well as power generation and propulsion. Its four solar arrays, each stretching seven metres, give electricity to the spacecraft, while its systems provide air, water, and a comfortable temperature for the astronauts. Thirty-three engines, including a powerful repurposed Space Shuttle engine, will guide Orion through deep space and perform critical manoeuvres on the lunar journey.
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Artemis II proximity operations using the European Service Module's engines after separation from rocket second stage
European hardware
The vital contributions of Europe to Artemis II continue after liftoff. European engineers will support the mission around the clock from ESA's technical centre in the Netherlands, ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Germany, and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, ensuring expert oversight of the European-built systems.
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Artemis II: Orion and its European Service Module head back to Earth
The vital contributions of Europe to Artemis II continue after liftoff. European engineers will support the mission around the clock from ESA's technical centre in the Netherlands, ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Germany, and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, ensuring expert oversight of the European-built systems.
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Artemis II: crew and service module separate shortly before reentry into Earth's atmosphere
The vital contributions of Europe to Artemis II continue after liftoff. European engineers will support the mission around the clock from ESA's technical centre in the Netherlands, ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Germany, and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, ensuring expert oversight of the European-built systems.
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European Service Module 2 assembly
European engineers
The vital contributions of Europe to Artemis II continue after liftoff. European engineers will support the mission around the clock from ESA's technical centre in the Netherlands, ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Germany, and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, ensuring expert oversight of the European-built systems.
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Orion Mission Evaluation Room
The vital contributions of Europe to Artemis II continue after liftoff. European engineers will support the mission around the clock from ESA's technical centre in the Netherlands, ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Germany, and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, ensuring expert oversight of the European-built systems.
“Although no ESA astronaut is part of this flight, the European Space Agency is,” says Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA’s director for Human and Robotic Exploration. “The excellency of the European industry is underlined by the crucial role that the European Service Module will play in this mission and the ones to come. This know-how is the foundation for future deliveries in the Artemis partnership, but also for achieving our own European goals for human and robotic exploration.”
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