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Originally scheduled in the United States to arrive at the end of October, the European service module for the NASA Orion space probe will make its official debut only in mid-November.
8 photosThe European service module is the set that contains, among other essential components, the engines that will power the Orion.
Measuring four meters long, it includes the main engine of the ship, a converted shuttle station called the orbital maneuver system, as well as fuel and gas tanks. The module's tanks contain oxygen, nitrogen, water and fuel.
According to ESA, after its integration into the service module, the engine will be able to generate a force of 25.7 kN and will be supported by eight propellers developing 490 N each. These are used for orbit corrections and as backups.
24 additional smaller engines grouped into six modules that can be triggered individually to provide attitude control.
The joint project between NASA and ESA will allow the US agency to use for the first time in its history a system built in Europe as an essential component of one of their spacecraft .
The European Services Module is the result of collaboration between several large companies in ten European states, including ESA's long-standing partner and its contractor, Airbus.
The actual integration with the Orion spacecraft will be in the hands of Lockheed Martin. The first test of the Space Launch System (SLS) capsule and rocket will be conducted when the Exploration mission 1 will take off around 2020 in anticipation of an unmanned voyage around the Moon.
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