Orion is NASA's crew capsule for carrying astronauts to the Moon on the Artemis missions.
nasa-orion Orion is NASA's crew capsule for deep space, built for the Artemis missions to the Moon. Lockheed Martin builds the crew module, which holds four people for up to 21 days without docking with another spacecraft. A European service module supplies power, propulsion, air and water.
Orion returns from the Moon at lunar-return speed, so its heat shield and welded aluminium pressure vessel are designed for high re-entry heating and loads. The shield is made of Avcoat, an ablative material that wears away as it heats up.
Orion carries astronauts on NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon. The capsule returns at lunar-return speed, so its heat shield and welded aluminium pressure vessel are designed for high re-entry heating and loads.
The pressure vessel, the sealed shell around the astronauts, is made of seven large pieces of aluminium alloy, joined by friction-stir welding. That method stirs the metal together with a spinning tool instead of melting it. Engineers refined the design to cut the welds from 33 to seven.
The outer surface of the heat shield is 186 blocks of Avcoat, bonded to a titanium skeleton and a composite skin. The backshell, the covering over the rest of the capsule, carries about 1,300 tiles of a silica fibre called AETB-8.
The European service module is about 4 m long and unpressurised. It supplies power, propulsion, thermal control, air and water, with four solar array wings that unfold to span 19 m. Its structure is built from carbon-fibre sandwich panels with an aluminium honeycomb core.
The crew module's pressure vessel, in seven large pieces joined by friction-stir welding. The flight alloy is not named.
The outer surface of the heat shield, in 186 blocks.
The skeleton of the heat shield, to which the Avcoat is bonded.
About 1,300 tiles on the backshell, with a toughened coating.
The service module's core panels, including the tank bulkhead and lower platform.
The core inside the service module's carbon-fibre sandwich panels.
The service module is European, from ESA and Airbus. The heat shield material, Avcoat, is a reformulated version of the one used on the Apollo capsules.
Aerojet Rocketdyne
Orion Main Engine (OME / OMS-E), a refurbished Space Shuttle OMS engine, Aerojet Rocketdyne; one main engine on the European Service Module; about 6,000 lbf; also used for ascent aborts after LAS jettison
Auxiliary thruster, Aerojet Rocketdyne; eight 110 lbf (490 N) bipropellant thrusters on the service module; backup to the main engine
Northrop Grumman; solid motor with four nozzles, about 400,000 lbf; pulls the crew module away in an abort
Northrop Grumman; solid gas generator with eight valves, about 7,000 lbf; steers the crew module after the abort motor
Aerojet Rocketdyne / L3Harris; solid motor, about 40,000 lbf; separates the LAS and fires on every flight
Orion is the crew vehicle of the Artemis missions to the Moon
ATV model, ArianeGroup; twenty-four thrusters in six pods of four on the service module
Crew module reaction control thruster, Aerojet Rocketdyne; twelve 160 lbf monopropellant thrusters in 10 pods on the crew module; steer the capsule during entry
Push the forward bay cover away together with the three forward bay cover parachutes
General Dynamics Ordinance & Tactical Systems; cannon-like mortars eject the drogue and pilot parachutes from the forward bay
Custom-fit orange suits for launch, entry and emergencies; maker not named in the sources read
Laser communications demonstration payload managed by NASA Goddard
NASA
Orion sits on top of SLS (on the Orion stage adapter) for Artemis I and II
Aerojet Rocketdyne
Four RS-25 engines on the SLS core stage lift Orion; launcher engine, not carried by the capsule
Aerojet Rocketdyne
ICPS upper-stage engine: it sent Orion to the Moon with the translunar injection burn on Artemis I and raised Orion's orbit on Artemis II, where Orion's own main engine did translunar injection; launcher engine, not carried by the capsule
Two boosters, Northrop Grumman; twin boosters give most of the liftoff thrust; launcher motors, not carried by the capsule
The European Service Module evolved from ATV; same X-wing solar layout and RCS thruster model
The first service module's main engine is a repurposed shuttle OMS engine that already flew in space
Model designation of the shuttle OMS engine, as given by eoPortal; NASA and ESA pages do not state the model number
Backshell and forward bay cover tiles are AETB-8 silica fibre tiles like the shuttle's
North American Aviation
Same three-element layout (launch abort system, crew module, service module); the catalog already links the Avcoat heat shield heritage
Prime contractor: crew module, launch abort system and crew module adapter; integrates the service module
Provides the European Service Module under the ISS barter arrangement
Prime contractor of the European Service Module; assembled in Bremen
Service module structure, micrometeoroid and debris protection, thermal control and consumables storage (water, oxygen, nitrogen); the structure comes from Thales Alenia Space Italia
Service module reaction control thrusters, propellant tanks and pressure control system
Eight R-4D-11 auxiliary engines (on the service module), 12 crew module RCS thrusters, the LAS jettison motor, flotation helium tanks and refurbished main-engine valves
Launch abort motor and attitude control motor
Vehicle management computer, inertial measurement system, GPS receiver, barometric altimeter, three display units, seven control panels, hand controllers and core flight software
Environmental control and life support, active thermal control, power management and distribution, and waste management for Artemis III onward
Designs and fabricates the 11-parachute system
Parachute mortars, provided through Lockheed Martin
Pressure vessel: the three cone panels (and the window frames)
Pressure vessel: barrel, tunnel and forward and aft bulkheads
Triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells for the service module wings
Oxygen and nitrogen tanks of the service module
Star tracker (named in a NASA photo caption of a technician working on an Orion star tracker)
Fused silica glass of the windows
Polished the window glass (Chili, New York)
Builds the Orion stage adapter in house
Project management of the parachute system
Orion program is managed at Johnson; flights are run from its Mission Control Center
ESA
Aluminium. Here: Pressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded); Backbone assembly (floor structure) and more. There: Telescope (structure and mirrors, 3 telescopes).
Carbon fibre. Here: Core panels (webs, tank bulkhead, lower platform); Solar array wings (x4, X-wing, three panels each) with wing-tip cameras. There: Outer panels (3).
Gallium arsenide. Here: Triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells (15,000 across the four wings). There: Photovoltaic array.
Multilayer insulation. Here: Passive thermal control: multilayer insulation blankets (incl. high-temperature blankets at thrusters and nozzle) and heaters. There: Instrument thermal wrap.
Titanium. Here: Heat shield skeleton. There: Focal plane interconnecting structure; Instrument mounting feet / flexures and more.
ESA / Airbus
Aluminium. Here: Pressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded); Backbone assembly (floor structure) and more. There: Main structure tube; Equipment box (EQB) and more.
Carbon fibre. Here: Core panels (webs, tank bulkhead, lower platform); Solar array wings (x4, X-wing, three panels each) with wing-tip cameras. There: OBA sandwich panels.
Multilayer insulation. Here: Passive thermal control: multilayer insulation blankets (incl. high-temperature blankets at thrusters and nozzle) and heaters. There: Outer thermal blanket (both spacecraft).
Titanium. Here: Heat shield skeleton. There: OBA unit attachment fittings; Instrument support bipods (3).
Grumman / NASA
Aluminium. Here: Pressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded); Backbone assembly (floor structure) and more. There: Cabin front-face, RCS cluster trusses, decks and bulkheads; Micrometeoroid shield and more.
aluminium honeycomb. Here: CFRP sandwich panel core. There: Primary struts with crushable aluminum-honeycomb cartridge; Footpads (x4, aluminum honeycomb).
Aluminum 2219. Here: Longeron (Orion ground test article). There: Ascent-stage cabin, midsection and aft equipment bay shell.
Titanium. Here: Heat shield skeleton. There: Some brackets and fasteners (lunar module); Descent-stage hot-area structure and more.
North American Aviation
Aluminium. Here: Pressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded); Backbone assembly (floor structure) and more. There: Radial beams; Crushable ribs (x4) and more.
aluminium honeycomb. Here: CFRP sandwich panel core. There: Inner pressure shell (crew compartment); Sector and RCS exterior panels (1 in thick).
Avcoat. Here: Heat shield ablator (186 blocks). There: Ablative heat shield material.
Titanium. Here: Heat shield skeleton. There: Helium tanks (2); Fuel tanks (2) and more.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Aluminium. Here: Pressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded); Backbone assembly (floor structure) and more. There: Primary structure (heating/cooling panel, edge members, fittings, brackets); Optical-bench heater aluminum tape and more.
aluminium honeycomb. Here: CFRP sandwich panel core. There: Iso-thermal panel with embedded heat pipes.
Multilayer insulation. Here: Passive thermal control: multilayer insulation blankets (incl. high-temperature blankets at thrusters and nozzle) and heaters. There: High Gain Antenna multi-layer insulation and heaters.
Titanium. Here: Heat shield skeleton. There: Propellant tanks (2); Instrument mounting flexures.
ESA
Aluminium. Here: Pressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded); Backbone assembly (floor structure) and more. There: TPMU/DSLP housing.
Carbon fibre. Here: Core panels (webs, tank bulkhead, lower platform); Solar array wings (x4, X-wing, three panels each) with wing-tip cameras. There: Platform structure supplier (eoPortal).
Gallium arsenide. Here: Triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells (15,000 across the four wings). There: Solar cells.
NASA does not name the alloy of the flight pressure vessel. Lockheed Martin named aluminium-lithium 2195 and aluminium 2219 in 2009, but for a ground-test structure. The heat shield's composite skin, the solar array cells, the tanks and the launch abort system have no published materials.
What is written above is built from these numbers and quotes. Each row links to the page it was taken from. Get all of it as JSON, or ask our MCP server.
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Crew and endurance | Four crew, up to 21 days without docking |
| Backshell tiles | About 1,300 |
| Heat shield blocks | 186 |
| Pressure vessel pieces | Seven large aluminum alloy pieces |
| Service module length | About 4 m |
| Solar array span | 19 m |
| Solar array wings | Four wings |
| Habitable volume (NASA crew module page) | 330 cubic feet |
| Habitable volume (NASA Orion Quick Facts, 2014) | 316 cubic feet |
| Crew module pressurized volume (NASA Orion Quick Facts, 2014) | 690.6 cubic feet |
| Lunar return payload mass (NASA Orion Quick Facts, 2014) | 220 lb |
| Heat shield diameter | 16.5 ft |
| Crew module weight at liftoff and nominal landed mass (Quick Facts) | Artemis I 20,600 / 18,200 lb; Artemis II 22,900 / 20,500 lb |
| Service module mass at liftoff, Artemis I (Quick Facts) | 30,900 lb |
| Service module mass at liftoff, Artemis II (Quick Facts) | 34,300 lb |
| Gross liftoff mass, Artemis I / Artemis II (Quick Facts) | 72,000 lb / 78,000 lb |
| Trans-lunar insertion mass, Artemis I / II (Quick Facts) | 53,000 lb / 58,500 lb |
| Usable propellant, Artemis I / II (Quick Facts) | 16,000 lb / 19,000 lb |
| Launch abort system weight at liftoff, Artemis I / II (Quick Facts) | 16,700 lb / 17,000 lb |
| Spacecraft adapter mass (Quick Facts) | 2,800 lb |
| Jettisoned fairings mass (Quick Facts) | 1,000 lb |
| Full stack height | 67 ft |
| Individual parts in the spacecraft | 355,056 |
| Crew module parts count | 209,544 |
| Service module parts count | 103,023 |
| Launch abort system parts count | 41,858 |
| Service module engine total | 33: one main, eight auxiliary, 24 reaction control |
| Service module dry mass (AIAA 2013 paper, preliminary design review) | 3.5 metric tons |
| Service module propellant capacity (AIAA 2013 paper; ESA gives nine tonnes) | 8.6 tons |
| Service module size (AIAA 2013 paper) | 4,500 mm diameter; 2,700 mm long excluding the main engine |
| Solar wing span (AIAA 2013 paper; ESA and NASA give 19 m) | 18.8 m |
| Solar array power (NASA) | About 11 kW |
| Entry speed and heat shield temperature (NASA crew module page) | About 25,000 mph; nearly 5,000 F |
| Artemis I re-entry speed | 24,581 mph (Mach 32) |
| Energy dispersed by the heat shield on entry (Lockheed Martin) | About 640 gigajoules |
| Parachute speed reduction (NASA crew module page) | From about 325 mph to 20 mph or less |
| Splashdown speed (NASA fun-facts page) | About 17 mph |
| Splashdown speed (NASA Artemis I feature) | About 16 mph |
| Parachute canopy area | 36,000 square feet over 11 parachutes |
| Parachute lines (NASA crew module page) | More than 13 miles of Kevlar lines |
| Main parachute suspension lines (CPAS NTRS paper) | About 10 miles in total for the three mains |
| Pressure vessel mass saved by cutting welds | 700 lb |
| Avcoat honeycomb cells in the pre-Artemis I (EFT-1) heat shield | 320,000 cells, filled by hand |
| Sensors on the spacecraft | Over 1,200 |
| 3D-printed parts on Artemis II | More than 150 |
| Computing power vs Space Shuttle | Over 400 times |
| Medical kit capability | 128 medical conditions, 139 medical resources |
| Launch abort motor propellant burn temperature | 4,456 F |
| Launch abort motor exhaust speed | 2,600 mph |
| Uncrewed lunar-orbit endurance | Over six months |
| Artemis I launch date | 16 November 2022 |
| Artemis I mission duration | 25 days 10 h 53 min |
| Artemis I farthest distance from Earth | 268,563 miles |
| Artemis II launch date | 1 April 2026 |
| Artemis II splashdown | 10 April 2026, Pacific Ocean near San Diego |
Each material named in the sources: where it is used here, which other products use it, and its key numbers when its material page exists.
Used in 4 partsPressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded) · Backbone assembly (floor structure) · Platforms, longerons and secondary structures · +1 more
Used in 3 partsDrogue parachutes (x2) · Pilot parachutes (x3) · Main parachutes (x3)
Used in 2 partsBackshell tiles (about 1,300) · Forward bay cover (tile-covered lid over the parachute bay)
Used in 2 partsCore panels (webs, tank bulkhead, lower platform) · Solar array wings (x4, X-wing, three panels each) with wing-tip cameras
Used in 2 partsLaunch abort motor (x1, solid, four-nozzle manifold) · Launch abort system jettison motor (x1)
Used in 2 partsForward bay cover parachutes (x3) · Micrometeoroid and debris protection system (Kevlar-reinforced Whipple shield)
Used in 1 partWindow pressure panes (acrylic)
Used in 1 partCFRP sandwich panel core
Used in 1 partLongeron (Orion ground test article)
Used in 1 partCone panel (Orion ground test article)
Used in 1 partHeat shield ablator (186 blocks)
Used in 1 partOxygen and nitrogen tanks (x3 oxygen, x1 nitrogen)
Used in 1 partWindow thermal panes (fused silica), one in each three-pane window stack
Used in 1 partLaunch abort attitude control motor (x1, eight proportional valves)
Used in 1 partTriple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells (15,000 across the four wings)
Used in 1 partActive thermal control: six body-mounted radiators, two HFE-7200 coolant loops, pump package and cold plates
Used in 1 partOgive fairing assembly (x4 composite panels)
Used in 1 partPassive thermal control: multilayer insulation blankets (incl. high-temperature blankets at thrusters and nozzle) and heaters
Used in 1 partHeat shield skeleton
Used in 1 partHeat shield white epoxy paint coat and aluminized tape
Crew module structure, backshell tiles, heat shield and the ESM structure are described with materials; propulsion, power and launch abort system parts are not. Components, suppliers and links were added from public sources. A material is left blank where no source states it.
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure vessel (seven large pieces, friction-stir welded)“The pressure vessel consists of seven large aluminum alloy pieces that are joined together using friction-stir welding” | aluminum alloy (flight grade not stated)aluminium | — | Lockheed Martin; welded at NASA Michoud |
| Cone panel (Orion ground test article)“The initial weld joined an Aluminum-Lithium (AL) 2195 cone panel and AL 2219 longeron” | Aluminum-lithium 2195aluminium-lithium-2195 | — | Ground test article, 2009; flight alloys not confirmed |
| Longeron (Orion ground test article)“The initial weld joined an Aluminum-Lithium (AL) 2195 cone panel and AL 2219 longeron” | Aluminum 2219aluminium-2219 | — | Ground test article, 2009; flight alloys not confirmed |
| Backbone assembly (floor structure)“an aluminum structure of crisscrossing beams called the backbone assembly” | aluminum (alloy not stated)aluminium | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backshell tiles (about 1,300)“These tiles are made of a silica fiber material called AETB-8 (Alumina Enhanced Thermal Barrier)” | AETB-8 silica fibre with toughened coatingaetb-8-tile | — | — |
| Heat shield ablator (186 blocks)“The outer surface of the heat shield is made of 186 billets, or blocks, of an ablative material called Avcoat” | Avcoatavcoat | — | — |
| Heat shield skeleton“The Avcoat is bonded to a titanium skeleton and composite skin” | titaniumtitanium | — | — |
| Heat shield skin“The Avcoat is bonded to a titanium skeleton and composite skin” | composite (type not stated) | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core panels (webs, tank bulkhead, lower platform)“The ESM structure is based on a core made of Composite Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sandwich panels” | carbon-fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP)carbon-fibre | — | Thales Alenia Space Italia (structure); Airbus (prime) |
| CFRP sandwich panel core“sandwich panels with aluminium honeycomb core” | aluminium honeycombaluminium-honeycomb | — | — |
| Platforms, longerons and secondary structures“complemented by aluminium alloy platforms, longerons and secondary structures” | aluminium alloy (grade not stated)aluminium | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew module side hatchPrimary crew entry and exit; two hinges, gearbox-operated latch train, counterbalance and a window“The side hatch is the primary entry and exit point for the crew.” | Not said | — | — |
| Launch abort system (LAS) hatchOuter hatch that covers the side hatch until the LAS is jettisoned; pneumatic latch train, gas strut and a window“The LAS hatch covers the side hatch until the LAS is jettisoned during flight.” | Not said | — | — |
| Docking hatch and rendezvous/docking sensors (LiDAR, cameras)Crew transfer to other spacecraft such as the human landing system; second crew exit path after landing; sensors guide automated docking“The docking hatch enables crew transfer to other spacecraft, such as the human landing system planned for future crewed missions” | Not said | — | — |
| Crew module cone windows (x4): machined structural frames in the pressure vesselFrames that hold the four viewing windows in the cone of the crew module“The structural pieces that form the four crew module windows are machined by California-based subcontractor AMRO Fabricating Corp.” | Not said | — | Supplier: AMRO Fabricating Corp. |
| Window thermal panes (fused silica), one in each three-pane window stackThermal pane of each three-pane window stack“Each window has three panes: a fused silica thermal pane, an acrylic pressure pane and a redundant pane.” | Corning fused silica glass (grade code not stated)corning-fused-silica | — | Supplier: Corning (glass); polished by Sydor Optics |
| Window pressure panes (acrylic)Innermost pane of the cone windows that holds cabin pressure“The innermost pane on the cone windows is acrylic.” | acrylic plastic (grade not stated)acrylic-window-pane-grade-unstated | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward bay cover (tile-covered lid over the parachute bay)Protects the top of the capsule and the parachutes through launch, orbit and re-entry; jettisoned for parachute deployment“the forward bay cover protects the top portion of the capsule, as well as the parachutes, during launch, orbital flight, and re-entry” | AETB-8 silica-fibre thermal protection tiles (stated as the same tiles as the backshell)aetb-8-tile | — | — |
| Heat shield white epoxy paint coat and aluminized tapeFinish applied over the Avcoat blocks; tape drains surface charge and helps hold temperatures“The heat shield is then given a coat of white epoxy paint.” | white epoxy paint (formulation not stated)epoxy-paint-white-formulation-unstated | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew module reaction control system thrusters (x12, MR-104J, 10 pod assemblies)Orient and steer the crew module after service module separation through re-entry to splashdown“The crew module has a propulsion system comprised of 12 small engines called reaction control system thrusters.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Aerojet Rocketdyne |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward bay cover parachutes (x3)Help pull the forward bay cover through the wake after it is jettisoned from the crew module“three forward bay cover parachutes used in conjunction with pyrotechnic linear thrusters to ensure separation of the forward bay cover” | Kevlarkevlar | — | Supplier: Airborne Systems (Santa Ana, California) |
| Drogue parachutes (x2)Mortar-deployed; slow and stabilize the crew module before the main parachutes deploy“Two drogue parachutes are deployed to slow and stabilize the crew module during descent” | Kevlar and nylon (grades not stated)kevlar-nylon-parachute-textile | — | Supplier: Airborne Systems (Santa Ana, California) |
| Pilot parachutes (x3)Mortar-deployed; pull the main parachutes out of the forward bay“Three pilot parachutes will lift and deploy the main parachutes from the crew module forward bay.” | Kevlar and nylon (grades not stated)kevlar-nylon-parachute-textile | — | Supplier: Airborne Systems (Santa Ana, California) |
| Main parachutes (x3)Slow the crew module to a landing speed; any two of the three can land the capsule safely“The three main parachutes then slow the crew module to a speed that ensures astronaut safety during landing.” | Kevlar and nylon (grades not stated)kevlar-nylon-parachute-textile | — | Supplier: Airborne Systems (Santa Ana, California) |
| Parachute deployment mortars (drogue and pilot parachutes)Cannon-like mortars that eject the drogue and pilot parachutes from the forward bay“the mortars are provided through Lockheed Martin by General Dynamics Ordinance & Tactical Systems, located in Seattle” | Not said | — | Supplier: General Dynamics Ordinance & Tactical Systems (Seattle), spelled as in the NASA page |
| Parachute risers, vehicle attach fittings and pyrotechnic cuttersAll-textile risers join the parachutes to the forward structure; pyrotechnic riser and reefing line cutters sever lines at set times“Embedded in several parachutes are pyrotechnic riser cutters, which use fuses set to ignite at specific times” | Not said | — | — |
| Crew module uprighting system (CMUS) airbags (x5)Helium-filled bags on top of the capsule that flip it upright after an inverted splashdown“The crew module uprighting system (CMUS) deploys a series of five bright orange helium-filled bags on the top of the capsule” | Not said | — | — |
| High-pressure helium tanks for the flotation (uprighting) systemStore the helium that inflates the uprighting bags after landing“The company also manufactures the high-pressure helium tanks that inflate Orion's flotation system for water-based landings.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Aerojet Rocketdyne |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch abort motor (x1, solid, four-nozzle manifold)Pulls the crew module away from the rocket in a launch emergency“The 17-foot-long, 3-foot-diameter abort motor, built by Northrop Grumman, has a manifold with four exhaust nozzles” | HTPB solid propellanthtpb-propellant | — | Supplier: Northrop Grumman (Magna, Utah) |
| Launch abort attitude control motor (x1, eight proportional valves)Steers the crew module on a controlled path after the abort motor and reorients it for parachute deployment“The attitude control motor, also built by Northrop Grumman, consists of a solid propellant gas generator and eight equally spaced valves” | CTPB solid propellantctpb-propellant | — | Supplier: Northrop Grumman (Elkton, Maryland) |
| Launch abort system jettison motor (x1)Separates the LAS from the crew module; fires on every flight, not only in an abort“The jettison motor was built by Aerojet Rocketdyne and is the only LAS motor that fires on every mission.” | HTPB solid propellanthtpb-propellant | — | Supplier: Aerojet Rocketdyne (now L3Harris) |
| Ogive fairing assembly (x4 composite panels)Shell around the crew module protecting it from heat, wind and acoustics of launch, ascent and abort“The fairing assembly is a shell of ogive panels surrounding the crew module.” | lightweight composite (type not stated)lightweight-composite-type-unstated | — | Supplier: Lockheed Martin (made at NASA Michoud) |
| Launch abort towerTower above the crew module that carries the three solid motors and pulls the capsule away“The launch abort tower sits on top of the crew module and includes the system's three motors.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Martin (prime contractor for the LAS) |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orion Main Engine (OME / OMS-E): refurbished Space Shuttle OMS engine (x1)Main in-space engine: translunar injection, orbit changes, return burns and late-ascent aborts; gimballed“The main engine is an orbital maneuvering system engine previously flown on space shuttle missions, provided by NASA and made by Aerojet Rocketdyne.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Aerojet Rocketdyne (provided to Orion by NASA) |
| Auxiliary thrusters (x8, R-4D-11)Fixed engines for orbit corrections and ascent-abort separation; backup to the main engine“The auxiliary engines are R4D-11 engines, also made by Aerojet Rocketdyne and provided by NASA.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Aerojet Rocketdyne (Redmond, Washington) |
| Service module reaction control thrusters (x24, 220 N, six pods of four)Attitude control and small translations in orbit; ATV-model thrusters“Lastly, 24 smaller engines grouped into six pods provide attitude control.” | Not said | — | Supplier: ArianeGroup (Lampoldshausen, Germany) |
| Propellant tanks (x4, 2,000 L each; two MON, two MMH)Store the oxidiser and fuel for the 33 engines“The propellant is provided by four 2000-liter tanks with 1-cm thick walls inside the service module” | Not said | — | Supplier: ArianeGroup (tanks named with the thrusters in an ESA blog) |
| High-pressure helium pressurant tanks (x2)Helium that pushes the propellants into the engines“Helium from two tanks push the propellants into the engines.” | Not said | — | — |
| Pressure-control system, propellant lines with shut-off valves, filters and sensorsRegulate tank pressure and route propellant to the engines“Pressure-control systems Sensor system with drive electronics Propellant lines with shut-off valves Filters” | Not said | — | Supplier: ArianeGroup (pressure control system) |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potable water tanks (x4, metallic bellows)Store drinking and food-preparation water pumped to the capsule“Cylindrical tanks from Thales Alenia Space Italy, with metallic bellows” | Not said | — | Supplier: Thales Alenia Space Italy |
| Oxygen and nitrogen tanks (x3 oxygen, x1 nitrogen)Store breathing gas and cabin pressure gas for the crew module“Cylindrical-spherical tanks with composite overwrap Made by US company Vivace” | composite overwrap (type not stated)fibre-reinforced-polymer-composite | — | Supplier: Vivace (US) |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active thermal control: six body-mounted radiators, two HFE-7200 coolant loops, pump package and cold platesCollect heat from the whole spacecraft and reject it to space“Coolant is pumped around a closed loop that includes six radiators near the spacecraft's exterior” | HFE-7200 hydrofluoroether coolanthfe-7200-coolant | — | Supplier: Thales Alenia Space Italia (thermal control system) |
| Passive thermal control: multilayer insulation blankets (incl. high-temperature blankets at thrusters and nozzle) and heatersInsulate the module and shield it from thruster plume heating“Insulation: Multiple Layer Insulation thermal blankets; high-temperature Multiple Layer Insulation blankets for thruster and engine nozzle thermal protection” | multilayer insulation (MLI) blanketsmultilayer-insulation-mli | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micrometeoroid and debris protection system (Kevlar-reinforced Whipple shield)Armour layers above the shell that stop micrometeoroids and debris“The service module's structure, built by Thales Alenia Space in Italy, is covered with Kevlar to absorb shocks from micrometeorites and debris impacts.” | Kevlar (reinforcement); Nextel/Kevlar blankets; metallic aft bumperkevlar | — | Supplier: Thales Alenia Space Italia |
| Crew module adapter (CMA) with crew module-service module umbilicalHolds the service module to the crew module; houses communications, power and control electronics“The crew module adapter houses electronic equipment for communications, power, and control” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Martin |
| Spacecraft adapter (service module to SLS Orion stage adapter)Attaches the service module to the SLS Orion stage adapter; carries separation systems and umbilicals“a second adapter that connects the service module to the SLS rocket” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Martin |
| Spacecraft adapter jettison (SAJ) fairing panels (x3)Fairing panels that shield the service module and solar wings from launch heat, wind and acoustics until jettisoned“During launch, the service module fits into a 17-foot-diameter housing surrounded by three fairing panels, called spacecraft adapter jettison (SAJ) panels” | Not said | — | Supplier: Lockheed Martin |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orion stage adapter (OSA) on top of the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stageConnects Orion to the ICPS and holds CubeSat dispensers“The Orion stage adapter connects Orion to the ICPS on the SLS Block 1 rocket.” | lightweight aluminum (alloy not stated)aluminium | — | Supplier: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar array wings (x4, X-wing, three panels each) with wing-tip camerasGenerate 120 V electrical power and track the Sun on two axes“Each of the four wings are made of three panels that provide enough electricity to power two typical European households” | CFRP rigid panels (preliminary design review stage)carbon-fibre | — | Supplier: Airbus (ESA's contractor; panels assembled in the Netherlands) |
| Triple-junction gallium arsenide solar cells (15,000 across the four wings)Convert sunlight to electricity“The solar cells are provided by US company Emcore and shipped to the Netherlands for assembly into the panels.” | gallium arsenide triple-junction cellsgallium-arsenide | — | Supplier: Emcore (US); panels assembled in the Netherlands |
| Solar Array Drive Mechanism (SADM, one per wing) and drive electronics (SADE)Two-axis Sun-tracking drive and its controller“The Solar Array orientation is controlled by the two-axis Solar Array Drive Mechanism (SADM).” | Not said | — | — |
| Service module electronic units: power conditioning and distribution (PCDU), propulsion drive, thermal control and command and monitoring unitsControl and monitor power, propulsion, thermal and data functions of the module“The functions of the ESM are controlled and monitored by specific electronic units.” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle management computers (x2, each with two flight computer modules)Run flight software and command Orion; four internally redundant flight computer modules in total“The brains of the Orion spacecraft consist of two vehicle management computers” | Not said | — | Supplier: Honeywell Aerospace |
| Vision processing unit hosting dissimilar backup flight softwareIndependent backup computer for critical phases; also stores data when out of contact“a dissimilar processing platform with dissimilar flight software is hosted on a system called the vision processing unit” | Not said | — | — |
| Power and data units (x8) and triple-redundant onboard data networkSwitch power to every component, drive valves, thrusters and heaters, and carry data over time-triggered gigabit Ethernet“Eight power and data units (PDU) connect the flight computers and the software to the rest of Orion.” | Not said | — | — |
| Inertial measurement units (x3), GPS receiver and barometric altimeter assembliesPosition, velocity, attitude and altitude sensing; altitude triggers entry and parachute events“The GPS sensor system provides position and velocity updates during low-Earth orbit operations, ascent, and reentry.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Honeywell Aerospace |
| Star trackers (x2)Camera that images star fields to fix spacecraft attitude in orbit“The star tracker operates like a camera, but is much more sensitive and takes pictures only of stars.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Jena-Optronik (named in a NASA photo caption of a technician working on an Orion star tracker) |
| Optical navigation camera and Sun sensorsCamera fixes range and bearing to Earth or Moon without ground contact; Sun sensors point the arrays in safe mode“The optical navigation camera takes images of the Moon and Earth.” | Not said | — | — |
| Display units (x3) and switch interface panels (x7)Glass cockpit: all display and control information, with backup switches“The Orion crew module uses three display units, or DUs, to convey all display and control information to the crew members.” | Not said | — | Supplier: Honeywell Aerospace |
| Hand controllers (x2 rotational, x2 translational) and cursor control devices (x2)Crew steering of attitude and translation, and selection on the display units“Crew members will use two different controllers, called rotational and translational hand controllers, to steer the spacecraft.” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phased-array antennas (x4 on crew module, x2 on service module), S-band system and emergency communication systemVoice, video, data, command and telemetry links to ground stations, TDRS and the Deep Space Network“employing four phased array antennas on the crew module and two phased array antennas on the service module” | Not said | — | — |
| Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O) laser terminalLaser communications demonstration terminal flown on Artemis II“The O2O is a laser communications terminal that will fly aboard Orion on Artemis II” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main batteries (x4, 120 V, small-cell packaging)Power Orion during launch, eclipse, entry and for up to 24 h after splashdown“Orion's four main batteries are located on the crew module” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew seats (x4) with crew impact attenuation systemHold the crew on their backs through launch and entry and limit g-load at splashdown“The Orion crew module includes four crew seats.” | Not said | — | — |
| Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) pressure suits (x4)Custom-fit orange suits worn for launch, entry and emergencies; hold pressure and supply air“astronauts will wear a bright orange spacesuit called the Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) suit” | Not said | — | — |
| Regenerable carbon dioxide and humidity removal systemAbsorbs CO2 and humidity from cabin air and vents them to vacuum to regenerate“Orion has a new carbon dioxide and humidity removal system that is regenerable” | Not said | — | Supplier: Collins Aerospace (environmental control and life support systems under a Lockheed Martin subcontract) |
| Potable water dispenser and food warmerDispense water from the service module tanks and heat food and drink packages“Orion's potable water dispenser gives the crew easy access to water inside the crew module during their missions to the Moon.” | Not said | — | — |
| Universal Waste Management System (toilet)Airflow-based toilet for urine and solid waste in a private bay“Orion's crew module has a new space toilet, called the Universal Waste Management System” | Not said | — | Supplier: Collins Aerospace (Orion waste management systems; the UWMS is not named in the release) |
| Flywheel exercise deviceCompact cable-and-flywheel rowing and resistance trainer; doubles as an entry step“Artemis crews will exercise inside Orion using the flywheel exercise device” | Not said | — | — |
| Stowage lockers (x12) under the crew seatsHold food, clothing, tools, cameras, science payloads and emergency equipment; locker doors form the cabin floor“are stored in 12 lockers located under the crew seats” | Not said | — | — |
| Radiation monitoring: hybrid electronic radiation assessor sensors (x6) and ESA active dosimeters (x5)Warn the crew of solar particle events so they can build a shelter from stowage bags“Orion is equipped with a radiation-sensing instrument integrated into the vehicle called the hybrid electronic radiation assessor” | Not said | — | — |
Missing: pressure vessel flight alloy grade, heat shield skin composite, ESM tank and solar array materials, windows, hatches, parachute fabrics, launch abort system. More detail: Not found in public sources read: the launch abort system canards and any Boost Protective Cover on the SLS configuration (older Constellation-era term), the LAS tower and fairing composite types, the alloy of the hatches and window frames, ESM propellant, helium and water tank materials, crew module RCS propellant tanks, the maker and chemistry of the four main batteries, makers of the crew seats, OCSS suits, displays' glass, S-band radios, phased-array antennas, the O2O terminal hardware (only NASA Goddard management is stated), the docking mechanism and its maker (only the docking hatch and the Artemis III docking system are stated), pyrotechnic device makers, parachute fibre grades and weaves, and the maker of the Avcoat blocks. The WebSearch budget ran out part-way, so ILC Dover (uprighting bags), David Clark (suits) and battery-supplier pages could not be searched for. Numbers that disagree between sources are listed side by side: OMS-E thrust 6,000 lbf / 26.7 kN (NASA), 25.7 kN (ESA), 27.7 kN (AIAA 2013), up to 6,700 lbf (NASA Artemis II blog); pilot parachute diameter 10 ft, 11 ft and 9.85 ft; habitable volume 330 and 316 cubic feet; LAS height 44 ft (Lockheed) vs 50 ft (Quick Facts); abort motor propellant 4,500 lb (NASA LAS page) vs 4,700 lb (Quick Facts); splashdown speed 20, 17 and 16 mph. The NASA management page says Aerojet Rocketdyne supplies the eight auxiliary engines 'for the crew module', but the NASA service module page, ESA and Aerojet place them on the service module. Several ESM figures (6 water tanks, 4 gas tanks of 33 kg, CFRP solar panels, 8 RCS pods) come from the 2013 preliminary-design-review paper and differ from the final ESA figures (4 water tanks, 1+3 gas tanks, 6 RCS pods); the final ESA values are used where both exist. Pad Abort-1 slides (2015) describe the test-flight LAS motors (abort motor 500,000 lbf, jettison motor 44,000 lbf), not the Artemis flight motors; only their construction details are used and each is labelled. The eoPortal page is a secondary summary and is used only for the AJ10-190 model designation. The Artemis II launch profile changed: the ICPS RL10 raised the orbit and Orion's main engine did translunar injection, whereas on Artemis I the ICPS did translunar injection.
Maker credit: NASA (crew module: Lockheed Martin; service module: ESA / Airbus). Collected from public pages and documents, checked 4 Nov 2026.
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