Orion European Service Module – Europe’s Contribution to the Artemis Programme

by Siân Cleaver 

Talk Synopsis

NASA’s Artemis programme will return astronauts to the Moon for the first time in 50 years and mark the start of a new era of human space exploration. Unlike the Apollo missions, the focus of the Artemis missions will be to create a more sustainable human presence on and around the Moon, and develop and demonstrate technologies that will prepare for future crewed missions to Mars

The first Artemis mission launched in November 2022 and saw an uncrewed ‘Orion’ spacecraft orbit around the Moon. Orion is powered by the European Service Module (built by Airbus in Bremen, Germany) which, together with propulsion capabilities, provides the Orion spacecraft with everything needed to successfully sustain a human crew on lunar missions.

Siân will give an overview of the Artemis programme and Europe’s contribution to it – the European Service Module (ESM). She will talk about the achievements so far, the work currently ongoing at Airbus and where the Artemis programme is headed in the next 5 years.

Bio

Siân Cleaver is the Industrial Manager for the Orion European Service Module (ESM) programme at Airbus Defence and Space in Bremen, Germany. A Chelmsford native and previously an engineer at Airbus in Stevenage, Siân transferred to Bremen four years ago driven by her dream to work on human spaceflight missions. She is now responsible for ensuring the timely delivery of all equipment across all ESMs currently under development (ESMs 3 to 6) and ultimately making sure that the ESMs are integrated, tested and delivered on time to the Customers, ESA and NASA.

Siân will be talking to us on Zoom from Bremen, Germany.

Please note that this will be a Zoom only meeting and will take place at the earlier time of 19:00 GMT to help fit in with Siân’s work day. We will not be meeting at the RMS. 

The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky. 

Zoom details will be emailed to members a few days before the meeting.