Thales Alenia Space to deliver thermomechanical systems for Orion ESM

Airbus has awarded a €90m contract to Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales and Finmeccanica, to develop and produce the thermomechanical systems for the European Service Module (ESM) to be integrated with the Orion spacecraft.

Airbus Defence and Space is a prime contractor for US space capsule Orion service module.

Nasa has developed Orion to transport humans for deep space exploration missions.

The Orion service module developed under ESA contract will provide propulsion, power supply, thermal control and main life support capabilities for the American spacecraft.

As a core team member, Thales Alenia Space along with Airbus Defence and Space will jointly develop and supply critical service module systems for the first flight unit, including structure and micrometeoroid protection, thermal control, and consumable storage and distribution.

Thales Alenia Space Deputy CEO Donato Amoroso said: "This contract marks a significant step forward for Thales Alenia Space.

"It also reflects our company’s long-standing expertise in human spaceflight. Through the new Orion programme, Thales Alenia Space is proud to play a role in extending human presence beyond LEO and contributing to the exciting field of deep space exploration."

Orion has been designed for manned missions beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO), which can likely to reach destinations such as the moon, asteroids and deep space.

Before undertaking a manned mission, the ‘Exploration Mission 1’ is planned for launch in 2018, to circumnavigate the moon and return to Earth.

As well as exhibiting the spacecraft’s performance capabilities to undertake manned mission, it will also qualify Nasa’s new space launch system. Subsequent ‘Exploration Mission 2’ is scheduled before 2021, to send Orion into space with astronauts on-board.

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Image: Thales thermomechanical systems in space. Photo: courtesy of Nasa.