Space exploration

Pushing engineering to its limits

For decades, Airbus has been at the heart of space exploration, developing the technology that enables mankind to send spacecraft to planets, moons and comets.

Our clean rooms have been the starting point for several missions, including: Mars Express, Gaia and JUICE for which we designed and built the satellites for the European Space Agency (ESA).

NASA is planning to land astronauts on the Moon again with its Artemis programme. And for the first time ever, it has selected a non-US company, Airbus, to build the Orion European Service Module (ESM).

The commercial use of the International Space Station (ISS) is opening up opportunities for access to space. Whatever the mission in low Earth orbit, Airbus offers mission services on board the ISS, hosting either external payloads or experiments inside the ISS, as well as other microgravity options.

We are preparing for when the ISS comes to the end of its life with Starlab, the next generation space station.

To the Moon and Mars

Contributing to humanity’s exploration is in our blood! With 40-plus years of experience, we take exploration to new heights.

Deep and outer space explorers

Airbus contributes to humanity’s exploration of our universe with spacecraft and telescopes.

Space stations

Airbus plays a significant role in human spaceflight-related activities for the ISS and its future replacement.

Orion European Service Module

Back to the Moon

The European Service Module: an integral part of NASA’s Artemis mission

Under a European Space Agency (ESA) contract, Airbus builds the European Service Module (ESM), which both propels and manoeuvres the Orion spacecraft and provides the crew with water and oxygen.

Learn more about the ESM

Artemis II astronauts discover a key component of the Orion spacecraft

Understanding the hardware they’ll rely on is vital, as astronauts for the upcoming Artemis II Moon mission experienced.

Learn more about Artemis

Artemis II crew visits Orion ESM at Airbus Bremen

Discover how the European Service Module takes shape

The ESM is a highly-complex spacecraft, with the assembly, integration and testing of more than 20,000 parts.

Learn more about ESM

Sounding rockets

Through the TEXUS/MAXUS Sounding Rocket Programme, Airbus offers an end-to-end service to scientists and experimenters – a unique opportunity to perform technological experiments and investigations under microgravity conditions with key benefits: late access for sample installation, real-time transmission, telecommand capabilities, and short time samples delivery.

Learn more about TEXUS

The history of space exploration
Find out more about Airbus’ contribution to space exploration through some of our historic products such as Ulysses, Rosetta, Gaia ou MarsExpress.
Learn more about the history