ESA's Orion blog
Updates on our European Service Module for Orion
01 NOV. 2026
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Artemis I, the first mission for Orion and its European Service Module, saw the uncrewed spacecraft travel around the Moon and back, farther than any spacecraft designed to carry humans.
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Artemis I launch
Launched by NASA’s first Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on 16 November from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US, Orion embarked on a 25-day mission that saw it fly twice around the Moon. The European Service Module’s 33 engines propelled Orion in space, with a total of five main engine burns completed during the mission.
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Far side of the Moon
Six days after launch, and just 130 km above the lunar surface, the European Service Module’s main engine fired for two minutes to push the spacecraft towards a lunar orbit using the Moon’s gravity.
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European Service Module, Orion, Moon, Earth
Thirteen days after launch, Orion and its European Service Module broke the record for the maximum distance from Earth in a crew-rated spacecraft: over 64 000 km from the Moon, and 432 210 km from our home planet.
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Artemis I: liftoff to splashdown
As Orion approached Earth, the European Service Module used its 24 small thrusters for eight seconds – a final burn to set up the spacecraft for reentry – then, it separated from the spacecraft, burning up in the atmosphere and leaving the crew module to splash down safely 40 minutes later in the Pacific Ocean.
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Dividing Earth and Moon
This first mission of the Artemis international lunar exploration programme provided a first test of NASA’s SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft before the crewed Artemis II mission in 2026.
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Artemis I step-by-step
The European Service Module, a powerhouse crafted by ESA and industry from over 10 countries across Europe, excelled in its performance during the two-million-kilometre journey, propelling Orion and providing the spacecraft with more power than expected with its solar arrays. Future European Service Modules will also provide breathing air, drinking water and thermal control for astronauts on board Orion for future missions.
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NASA Orion
NASA's Orion website
Orion at Airbus
Orion at Airbus
Orion service module on Flickr
Orion service module on Flickr
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Related links
ESA's Orion blog
Updates on our European Service Module for Orion
NASA Orion
NASA's Orion website
Orion at Airbus
Orion at Airbus
Orion service module on Flickr
Orion service module on Flickr
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Related links
Orion spacecraft
Orion is a NASA spacecraft designed to carry humans farther into space than ever before. ESA is providing Orion’s European Service Module, the powerhouse that will supply the spacecraft with electricity, propulsion, thermal control, air and water.
European Service Module
The European Service Module is ESA’s contribution to NASA’s Orion spacecraft that will send astronauts to the Moon and beyond. It provides electricity, water, oxygen and nitrogen as well as keeping the spacecraft at the right temperature and on course.
European Service Module: Power
The 7 m-long solar wings on the European Service Module feature the distinctive X-wing configuration that was also used in the module’s predecessor, the Automated Transfer Vehicle.
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