NASA Signs Agreement for European-Provided Orion Service Module

NASA has signed an agreement for the European Space Agency (ESA) to provide a service module for the Orion spacecraft's Exploration Mission-1 in 2017. The announcement was made on Jan. 16 during a news briefing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. When Orion blasts off atop a Space Launch System rocket in 2017, attached will be the ESA-provided service module -- the powerhouse that fuels and propels the Orion spacecraft. Exploration Mission-1 in 2017 will be the first mission to incorporate both the Orion vehicle and NASA's new Space Launch System. It will follow the upcoming Exploration Flight Test-1 in 2014, in which an uncrewed Orion will launch atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket and fly to an altitude of 3,600 miles above Earth's surface, farther than a human spacecraft has gone in 40 years.

[MrJPI]

I thought so also, but couldn't be 100% sure, thanks!

[marijn]

Probably only water and oxygen, and there are connections between the SM and CM to bring water and air from one module to the other. Food is stored inside the crew module.

[MarkTuchinsky]

Nasa got a man on the moon ESA gets amazing satilleties into orbit around many objects. When the two came together... its undescribable

[PrincessTS]

Hope they just make sure both groups use the same units.

[bridde]

i can't believe how few watch this. It must be pretty easy to get a job at NASA/ESA when nobody cares about the way we learn to look for a new home.

[dustynbones]

This is extremely exciting news!

[tetsugal]

At first when I heard about the NASA/ESA partnership I thought the time between launches would shorten to at least a launch every 2 years, but with the current timetable I have no doubt SLS, Orion and its service module will be cancelled. That's what I think and what most space geeks think.

[HDApollo]

Thomas Reiter is one of the best astronauts!

[NeoUno]

Why don't more people watch this?!

[daidricholbytla]

this is beautiful. the only reason that various countries of this world could come together like this is because all humans innately possess a common goal - that of exploring and understanding the heavens. common goals enable cooperation, and cooperation enables scientific discovery. star trek, here we come! :P

[Hive]

The NASA put the ATV on the Orion capulare. The ATV is a space ferry for the ISS, with prolusion that can move the station on higher orbits and can mavuer the ISS. The TAV is like a modul of the ISS had has lifesupport and stuff. Its much more the Sojus or Dragon. NASA must dock then together and open the airlock. oki, a bit more is to do but NASA will do the first unmanned flight in 2014 to the moon.

[MrJPI]

They said there are consumables in the service module. Does that mean there is water and food also and if so how do the astronauts have access to them?

[TonyMach]

As long as they use the discordian calendar, everything will be fine.

SCNR :-)

[NTRLNK]

There's been a lot negative thoughts about this cooperation floating the net. So to clearify I'll summerize the reasons, (dis-/) advantages.
Reason: ESA was going to end ATV missions after the 5th ATV (and prolonging ATV missions already) because they want to do something new, however for the extended use of the ISS a new barter with NASA was needed. ESA thought of creating it's own manned vehicle or some sort of space debris cleaner. NASA didn't wan't that and proposed (they did) the Orion SM.

[tetsugal]

(2/2) Because politicians can't see more than 4 years into the future, they will see no point in 2014 about developing a spaceship and a freaking huge rocket just to make a trip around the moon in 2021. THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING!

[kaukomarsu]

This is a good thing. ISS has been and is a success story of international cooperation and I wish the Russians, Japanese ans even the Chinese could join in the effort to get humans to Mars.

[aserta]

The simple cruel answer is split in two parts.

a. People don't care because of ignorance or simply lack interest.

b. All the space media is tied to the internet, the internet is usually tied to, in this order: porn, cats, wikipedia and miscellaneous items.

[tetsugal]

If things worked as you suggest JWST will be launching next year, instead the launch has been delayed to 2017. Do you really think that the biggest rocket ever (in its final form) isn't gonna suffer any delays? HA! When you're at the vanguard of science unexpected problems arise and more resources (money) are demanded to meet the initial goals.

[crazyfishman]

sometimes some people are so smart yet so dumb lol

[KalaRaja]

@sean o'nilbud on a troll mission rnt u? Uve commented on everyyy video I've watched. Which means u have too much time and not enough life. Smh. I feel sooo sorry 4 u dude... I hope ur life gets better.:-)