European Service Modules: hecho en España

After our last tour of the most northern ESA Member State, let’s visit one of the most southern ESA Member States and its contributions to the European Service Module: Spain.

Cooling power

Airbus in Spain is supplying the Thermal Control Units for the European Service Modules. These units are part of the spacecraft’s avionics and its Thermal Control System. The Thermal Control Units maintain the temperatures within acceptable limits, ensuring a comfortable environment for the astronauts and Orion’s equipment. Temperatures in the spacecraft are kept in check by actively pumping coolant fluid through radiators or switching on heaters and temperatures are also kept stable passively through insulation.

The Thermal Control Units supplied by Airbus collect data from the European Service Module’s Consumables Storage System and from over 230 temperature sensors. They use the data to control the heating and cooling subsystems – directing over 100 heaters. Each European Service Module has two Thermal Control Units.

The development of the units required finding solutions for many technical challenges: human spaceflight-level of reliability, working in the harsh environment of space and using new technologies such as the Time-Triggered Ethernet communications protocol that the European Service Module uses to share data.

Airbus in Spain has supplied hardware for many ESA missions including the European Service Module’s spiritual predecessor ATV. Due to its track record in European spaceflight, including as main contractor for the European Service Module Airbus is an international leader in the domain. Moreover the Spanish teams will be supplying the Power Management and Distribution system for the first lunar Gateway habitation module HALO.

Triple A for Triple E

A second Spanish company that has proven itself on ATV and many more space missions is Alter. It’s triple A status and reputation earned the company a contract for central parts procurement for EEE components in the European Service Module. EEE stands for Electronical, Electrical and Electromechanical so Alter Technology is taking care of all the administrative and technical side of getting all the parts for the European Service Module that have electric current pass through them delivered on time and in the right place.

A central agency for keeping track of all parts – there are over 20 000 components in each European Service Module – helps cut costs and deliver on time as the logistical challenge is handled by experts in the field. The aspects to consider when ordering parts for building are spacecraft are bewildering and include identifying suppliers, documentation, ordering, tracking, security management, checking compliance of the parts, inspection and testing, creating and having back-up plans standby, storing the parts and considering a parts end of shelf life. And yes, Alter Technology’s remit also included the Thermal Control Unit mentioned above, in addition to components from over 20 other companies from all over Europe!