Small companies partake in ESA’s European Service Module
ESA has involved ten European countries in the development of the European Service Module which is part of NASA’s Orion spacecraft soon to launch to the Moon from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Four European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) took part.
Such high-profile development projects increase expertise in the European workforce and help small enterprises to grow their international networks. In return, these entities offer cutting edge highly specialised development to enrich Europe’s commercial or institutional use of space.
Orion is the vehicle that will take astronauts on Artemis missions. It’s the only spacecraft capable of human spaceflight outside Earth orbit and high-speed reentry from the vicinity of the Moon and Mars. More than just a crew module, Orion has a launch abort system to keep astronauts safe if an emergency were to occur during launch and ESA’s European Service Module, the powerhouse that fuels and propels Orion, keeps the astronauts alive with water, oxygen, power and temperature control.
Each European Service Module (ESM) comprises more than 20 000 parts and components, from electrical equipment to engines, solar panels, fuel tanks and life-support elements for the astronauts, as well as approximately 12 kilometres of cables.
ESA’s prime contractor, Airbus, has enlisted about 26 European companies to develop and build the ESM. This includes four SMEs, three based in Italy: DTM Technologies, Criotec and Aviotec; and Rovsing based in Denmark.
‘Cold plates’ from DTM Technologies will cool electronic and avionics equipment. Made of metal with flow paths much like a radiator, they contain coolant which absorbs and transfers large amounts of electrical waste heat. This rapid cooling system increases efficiency for smaller, lighter components.
Oxygen/nitrogen relief valves provided by Criotec will open and close to maintain the correct pressure of the mixture of air available to astronauts in the cabin.
Aviotec has contributed a system of belts, like a spider’s web, to suspend the layer of Kevlar blankets which form the lower second bumper of micrometoroid and debris protection at the base of the ESM.
Rovsing supplied the transportable Solar Array Wing Simulator which simulates the behaviour of the solar arrays during tests.
ESA with prime contractor Airbus has agreed to supply NASA with six European Service Modules, and there are prospects for a further three.
“Small and medium-sized enterprises make an important contribution to ESA. SMEs comprise specialists with dynamic working practices, who are flexible and responsive to problem solving. This is highly valued at ESA and we encourage such companies to get involved,” commented Jens Kauffmann, Head of the SME Section at ESA.
