NASA’s Artemis I mission was successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center on 16 November 2022: Orion is heading to the Moon with Airbus’ European Service Module (ESM) and Latecoere’s electrical wiring expertise onboard!

11 kilometers of cables were manufactured and meticulously connected by Latecoere in France. These electrical harnesses transmit information and energy through the ESM. They are extremely complex and essential: they connect everything inside the module, like the blood system of the body would allow organs to function.

Artemis I is an uncrewed Moon-orbiting mission, the first spaceflight in NASA’s Artemis program, and the first flight of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the complete Orion spacecraft. For more information on Artemis missions, visit NASA’s website.

The ESM was built by Airbus under contract to the European Space Agency – ESA. It serves as the Orion spacecraft’s main propulsion system, while also providing orbital manoeuvring and positioning control. Another important function of the ESM is providing the spacecraft’s crew with critical elements of life support – including water and oxygen – and it regulates thermal conditions aboard Orion. For more information on the Orion European Service Module (ESM), visit Airbus’ website. 

Latecoere teams are proud to provide their space expertise to the mission as we serve aerospace with innovative solutions for a sustainable world.