NASA Artemis II European Service Module (ESM) | European Space Agency

NASA Artemis II European Service Module (ESM) | European Space Agency

NASA's Artemis II Orion spacecraft will orbit Earth several times, then embark on a four-day journey to the Moon, fly around our natural satellite, and return to Earth. During this flight, the crew will test the Airbus-built European Service Module (ESM), validating its performance as the spacecraft's vital engine room and life-support system.

What does it take to sustain four astronauts on a 1-million-kilometer journey to the Moon? We often see the launch, but the real magic happens during the 10 days in space. Discover how the Airbus-built European Service Module (ESM) will support the crew every step of the way.

Explore the Artemis II Mission: http://airbus.com/en/newsroom/stories/2026-04-artemis-ii-lifts-off-destination-moon-with-the-orion-spacecraft

Artemis II’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, at 6:35 p.m. EDT (2235 UTC) on April 1, 2026, sending NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on an approximately 10-day test flight around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft.

Watch Artemis II Mission coverage on:

NASA+: https://plus.nasa.gov/scheduled-events/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nasa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NASA/

X: https://x.com/nasa

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/nasa

Check the Artemis blog for updates: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Airbus
Release Date: April 2, 2026

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