The Airbus European Service Module is now operational

The Artemis SLS rocket is home to the first major component supplied by a country other than the United States

The Artemis Space Launch System (SLS) rocket's booster is made up of many repurposed Space Shuttle components

Artemis transports the Orion capsule for its astronauts, which is transported by a service module supplied by new NASA supplier Airbus

This is the first time NASA has trusted a non-US company to make such a significant contribution to a mission

The company has a 60-year history of building spacecraft

Airbus is new as a NASA provider, it has a long history in the industry

The Artemis SLS rocket is home to the first major component supplied by a country other than the United States

The modern Orion European Service Module will avoid any such drama on any of its upcoming flights

The flight will transport astronauts to lunar orbit, and the third will land astronauts on the moon

The ESM differs from the Apollo service module in flight because it deploys an array of four solar panels

SEE MORE STORIES