Development of the European Service Module Propulsion Subsystem for the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle

2013, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) entered into an international partnership to develop the European Service Module (ESM) for use on NASA's Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), also known as Orion. The MPCV will be used as the principal spacecraft for future human space exploration missions beyond low earth orbit. The ESM Propulsion Subsystem (PSS) is a pressure-fed, bi-propellant propulsion system, being developed by Airbus Defense and Space under contract to ESA. For this effort, NASA is responsible for the traditional role of insight/oversight to ensure that the PSS delivered by Airbus meets all MPCV Program requirements. In addition, the NASA Propulsion team also has some unique responsibilities that are a result of the Implementing Agreement (IA) between NASA and ESA for development of the ESM. These responsibilities include: (1) providing the main engine and Thrust Vector Control (TVC) assembly for the PSS. This is being accomplished through the delta qualification and re-use the Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engine and TVC assembly; (2) procurement and delivery of the Auxiliary engines (R-4Ds) for the PSS. These engines are being procured by NASA from Aerojet-Rocketdyne via Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the MPCV, per an Airbus-provided specification; and (3) conducting the integrated systems hot-fire test which will qualify the end-to-end PSS for flight on MPCV. This test is being conducted at the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) using an Airbus-provided test article known as the Propulsion Qualification Model (PQM).