Thales-Finmeccanica JV to Build Orion Service Module’s Thermomechanical Platforms

A joint venture of Thales Group and Finmeccanica has secured a potential $103 million contract from Airbus to build thermomechanical platforms for the Orion spacecraft’s European Service Module.

Thales Alenia Space will supply thermal control, consumable storage components, micrometeoroid and structure protection systems for the space capsule’s ESM, Thales Group said Thursday.

ESM will work to provide thermal control, propulsion and power supply capabilities for NASA’s Orion, which is designed to perform human spaceflight missions into deep space.

Airbus is the ESM’s primary contractor under a contract with the European Space Agency.

NASA plans to launch the spacecraft’s unmanned test flight with Europe’s participation in 2018 and first crewed flight mission by 2021.