Artemis II mission begins

“This is the first time astronauts are flying aboard Orion,” says ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher. “Artemis II builds on the success of Artemis I and confirms Europe’s essential role in humankind’s return to the Moon and future exploration beyond. ESA is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with its international partners, led by NASA. Together, we are demonstrating that cooperation remains our most powerful engine for the future.”

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. 

European hardware 

European hardware is put to work just minutes after liftoff. Around 20 minutes after launch, Orion's European-built solar arrays deploy, unfurling into space to begin supplying electricity to the spacecraft. The crew then enters a high Earth orbit, where they spend the first day testing Orion's systems and taking manual control of the spacecraft. Using the European Service Module's 24 reaction control system engines, they practise manoeuvres needed for future docking operations.

On the second day of the mission, the European Service Module's main engine will ignite for the critical trans-lunar injection burn, sending Orion and its crew on a four-day journey to the Moon. Throughout the voyage there and back, the module will continue to play a vital role, firing its smaller engines to fine-tune Orion's trajectory where needed and ensure the spacecraft remains on course for a safe return to Earth.

As Orion and its crew approach our home planet, the European Service Module will separate from the crew module and burn up harmlessly in Earth's atmosphere, having completed its task of carrying the astronauts safely home. The Artemis II mission will conclude as the crew module splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean.  

European engineers 

The second European Service Module is the product of a vast industrial effort that spans almost a decade. Contributions have come from across 10 European countries, involving 20 main contractors and over 100 European supplies, from the creation of its backbone structure by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, to the integration of all components by prime contractor Airbus in Bremen, Germany.

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.”