Airbus to build three more moon mission modules
欧洲航天局已与Airbus防务与航天公司签订合同,建造另外三个欧洲服务模块(ESM),用于Artemis登月计划。新的合同增加了三个已经投产的ESM。这三个新模块将加快宇航员前往月球的有关进程。
The European Space Agency has contracted Airbus Defence and Space to build three more European service modules (ESM) to be used as part of the Artemis moon landing program. The new contract adds to the three ESMs already in production. All three of the new modules will propel astronauts to the moon.
ESM为NASA的猎户座乘员舱提供动力、航天器推进和地球生态支持。每个ESM直径和高度均为4米。它的四个太阳能电池板展开时总长度达19米,可以产生足够两户普通家庭使用的能源。ESM自身携带的8.6吨燃料为主引擎和32个小型推进器提供动力。
The ESM provides power, propulsion and life support to Nasa’s Orion crew capsule. Each ESM is 4 metres in diameter and height. Its four solar arrays span 19 metres when unfurled and can generate enough energy to power two households. The ESM’s 8.6 tonnes of fuel powers its main engine and 32 smaller thrusters.
首个ESM在NASA位于佛罗里达州的肯尼迪航天中心,为定于今年晚些时候进行的无人Artemis I测试飞行做准备。第二个ESM将载着宇航员绕月球飞行并返回。第三个ESM将搭载宇航员,他们将在2024年之后的某个时候降落到火星表面。
The first ESM is at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida being prepared for the uncrewed Artemis I test flight scheduled later this year. The second ESM will fly astronauts around the moon and back. The third ESM will carry the astronauts who will descend to the surface, sometime after 2024.
更多消息请参考The Guardian
Read more at The Guardian