NASA's Artemis II mission, which will orbit the Moon in 2026, will carry on board a critical component designed and manufactured in Spain. Airbus Crisa, in Tres Cantos, has developed the Thermal Control Unit for the European service module of the Orion spacecraft. This system is responsible for maintaining habitable conditions, regulating temperature, air, and water. Its integration represents a milestone: it is the first time the NASA entrusts a vital element of a crewed mission to a non-US company.
The physical component in an ecosystem of digital models 🛰️
This unit is the tangible physical twin resulting from an exhaustive model-based engineering process. For such a critical system, where a failure would compromise the mission, its development involved the creation of virtual replicas and advanced simulations. These allowed predicting its behavior in the extreme space and lunar environment, optimizing the design, and validating redundancy. The two physical units installed in Orion are the final materialization of those digital twins, ensuring safety through duplication. The Spanish component thus acts as a reliable physical node within the comprehensive digital twin of the entire Orion spacecraft.
A model for the European space industry 🚀
This achievement underscores a success model: the ability to transform precise digital models into highly reliable hardware for high-risk missions. Airbus Crisa's track record, with participation in James Webb or Mars rovers, consolidates the Spanish industry as a key supplier in the exploration value chain. Artemis II demonstrates that the development of physical twins, validated by their digital counterparts, is fundamental for the next stages on the Moon and beyond.
How does the physical twin of the thermal control system ensure the safety of the Artemis II crew in the hostile environment of deep space?
(P.S.: don't forget to update the digital twin, or your real twin will complain)