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Gestern durfte ich @beyond_gravity_space besuchen und einen spannenden Einblick in die Welt der Raumfahrttechnologie gewinnen. Das Unternehmen entwickelt in Österreich hochspezialisierte Komponenten für Raketen und Satelliten – unter anderem für die europäischen Ariane- und Vega-Raketen.

Gerade bei Schlüsseltechnologien der Raumfahrt, wie Satellitenkommunikation oder Sensorik, zeigt sich, wie wichtig technologische Souveränität für Europa geworden ist. Österreich verfügt hier über enormes Know-how – und genau dieses Potenzial müssen wir weiter stärken.

Raumfahrt ist längst kein Nischenthema mehr, sondern ein strategisches Zukunftsfeld mit großer Bedeutung für Innovation, Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Europas Unabhängigkeit.

(Beitrag: Team Hanke, Fotos: Tobias Holzer)

Gestern durfte ich @beyond_gravity_space besuchen und einen spannenden Einblick in die Welt der Raumfahrttechnologie gewinnen. Das Unternehmen entwickelt in Österreich hochspezialisierte Komponenten für Raketen und Satelliten – unter anderem für die europäischen Ariane- und Vega-Raketen.

Gerade bei Schlüsseltechnologien der Raumfahrt, wie Satellitenkommunikation oder Sensorik, zeigt sich, wie wichtig technologische Souveränität für Europa geworden ist. Österreich verfügt hier über enormes Know-how – und genau dieses Potenzial müssen wir weiter stärken.

Raumfahrt ist längst kein Nischenthema mehr, sondern ein strategisches Zukunftsfeld mit großer Bedeutung für Innovation, Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Europas Unabhängigkeit.

(Beitrag: Team Hanke, Fotos: Tobias Holzer)

Gestern durfte ich @beyond_gravity_space besuchen und einen spannenden Einblick in die Welt der Raumfahrttechnologie gewinnen. Das Unternehmen entwickelt in Österreich hochspezialisierte Komponenten für Raketen und Satelliten – unter anderem für die europäischen Ariane- und Vega-Raketen.

Gerade bei Schlüsseltechnologien der Raumfahrt, wie Satellitenkommunikation oder Sensorik, zeigt sich, wie wichtig technologische Souveränität für Europa geworden ist. Österreich verfügt hier über enormes Know-how – und genau dieses Potenzial müssen wir weiter stärken.

Raumfahrt ist längst kein Nischenthema mehr, sondern ein strategisches Zukunftsfeld mit großer Bedeutung für Innovation, Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Europas Unabhängigkeit.

(Beitrag: Team Hanke, Fotos: Tobias Holzer)

Gestern durfte ich @beyond_gravity_space besuchen und einen spannenden Einblick in die Welt der Raumfahrttechnologie gewinnen. Das Unternehmen entwickelt in Österreich hochspezialisierte Komponenten für Raketen und Satelliten – unter anderem für die europäischen Ariane- und Vega-Raketen.

Gerade bei Schlüsseltechnologien der Raumfahrt, wie Satellitenkommunikation oder Sensorik, zeigt sich, wie wichtig technologische Souveränität für Europa geworden ist. Österreich verfügt hier über enormes Know-how – und genau dieses Potenzial müssen wir weiter stärken.

Raumfahrt ist längst kein Nischenthema mehr, sondern ein strategisches Zukunftsfeld mit großer Bedeutung für Innovation, Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Europas Unabhängigkeit.

(Beitrag: Team Hanke, Fotos: Tobias Holzer)

Tomorrow, Europe’s largest and most powerful rocket, the Ariane 6 with four boosters, is set for launch 🚀 Beyond Gravity is responsible for the 10 kilogram Vinci cardan gimbal mechanism. Our special mechanism, designed and produced in Vienna, controls the thrust direction of the upper stage rocket. It enables the Vinci engine to adjust the rocket’s trajectory and maintain stable flight.

We also provided further products to Ariane 6 like our payload fairing.

Flight #VA268 is set to liftoff on 30 April 2026 between 10:08-10:57 Central European Summer Time. More

Image 1: Artist’s view of Ariane 6 flying with four boosters (c) @EuropeanSpaceAgency - D. Ducros


Image 2: Vinci engine during tests in France. Vinci is the re-ignitable engine of the upper stage of Ariane. The final qualification test took place in October 2018 at Ariane Group‘s Vernon site. © Ariane Group

Tomorrow, Europe’s largest and most powerful rocket, the Ariane 6 with four boosters, is set for launch 🚀 Beyond Gravity is responsible for the 10 kilogram Vinci cardan gimbal mechanism. Our special mechanism, designed and produced in Vienna, controls the thrust direction of the upper stage rocket. It enables the Vinci engine to adjust the rocket’s trajectory and maintain stable flight.

We also provided further products to Ariane 6 like our payload fairing.

Flight #VA268 is set to liftoff on 30 April 2026 between 10:08-10:57 Central European Summer Time. More

Image 1: Artist’s view of Ariane 6 flying with four boosters (c) @EuropeanSpaceAgency - D. Ducros


Image 2: Vinci engine during tests in France. Vinci is the re-ignitable engine of the upper stage of Ariane. The final qualification test took place in October 2018 at Ariane Group‘s Vernon site. © Ariane Group

Tomorrow, Europe’s largest and most powerful rocket, the Ariane 6 with four boosters, is set for launch 🚀 Beyond Gravity is responsible for the 10 kilogram Vinci cardan gimbal mechanism. Our special mechanism, designed and produced in Vienna, controls the thrust direction of the upper stage rocket. It enables the Vinci engine to adjust the rocket’s trajectory and maintain stable flight.

We also provided further products to Ariane 6 like our payload fairing.

Flight #VA268 is set to liftoff on 30 April 2026 between 10:08-10:57 Central European Summer Time. More

Image 1: Artist’s view of Ariane 6 flying with four boosters (c) @EuropeanSpaceAgency - D. Ducros


Image 2: Vinci engine during tests in France. Vinci is the re-ignitable engine of the upper stage of Ariane. The final qualification test took place in October 2018 at Ariane Group‘s Vernon site. © Ariane Group

The European planet-hunting mission Plato is on track to lift off in early 2027. With its 26 cameras 📷 sitting on our optical bench, the telescope will search for terrestrial exoplanets. Recently, the spacecraft has successfully completed a series of tests in space-like conditions. We provided many further products for the mission, like our satellite computer, the thermal insulation and ground support equipment.

Engineers tested the entire spacecraft at @europeanspaceagency ESA’s technological heart ESTEC.

Image credits: ESA

The European planet-hunting mission Plato is on track to lift off in early 2027. With its 26 cameras 📷 sitting on our optical bench, the telescope will search for terrestrial exoplanets. Recently, the spacecraft has successfully completed a series of tests in space-like conditions. We provided many further products for the mission, like our satellite computer, the thermal insulation and ground support equipment.

Engineers tested the entire spacecraft at @europeanspaceagency ESA’s technological heart ESTEC.

Image credits: ESA

The European planet-hunting mission Plato is on track to lift off in early 2027. With its 26 cameras 📷 sitting on our optical bench, the telescope will search for terrestrial exoplanets. Recently, the spacecraft has successfully completed a series of tests in space-like conditions. We provided many further products for the mission, like our satellite computer, the thermal insulation and ground support equipment.

Engineers tested the entire spacecraft at @europeanspaceagency ESA’s technological heart ESTEC.

Image credits: ESA

The European planet-hunting mission Plato is on track to lift off in early 2027. With its 26 cameras 📷 sitting on our optical bench, the telescope will search for terrestrial exoplanets. Recently, the spacecraft has successfully completed a series of tests in space-like conditions. We provided many further products for the mission, like our satellite computer, the thermal insulation and ground support equipment.

Engineers tested the entire spacecraft at @europeanspaceagency ESA’s technological heart ESTEC.

Image credits: ESA

The European planet-hunting mission Plato is on track to lift off in early 2027. With its 26 cameras 📷 sitting on our optical bench, the telescope will search for terrestrial exoplanets. Recently, the spacecraft has successfully completed a series of tests in space-like conditions. We provided many further products for the mission, like our satellite computer, the thermal insulation and ground support equipment.

Engineers tested the entire spacecraft at @europeanspaceagency ESA’s technological heart ESTEC.

Image credits: ESA

Would you like to help shape the future of space exploration and contribute to groundbreaking missions? This week, our colleagues attended the Polymesse at ETH Zürich, where they informed attendees about career opportunities. Many people visited our booth and attended our lecture. More 👉 beyondgravity.com/careers

A model of our satellite 🛰️ platform was also on display at our booth at Polymesse.

Would you like to help shape the future of space exploration and contribute to groundbreaking missions? This week, our colleagues attended the Polymesse at ETH Zürich, where they informed attendees about career opportunities. Many people visited our booth and attended our lecture. More 👉 beyondgravity.com/careers

A model of our satellite 🛰️ platform was also on display at our booth at Polymesse.

Would you like to help shape the future of space exploration and contribute to groundbreaking missions? This week, our colleagues attended the Polymesse at ETH Zürich, where they informed attendees about career opportunities. Many people visited our booth and attended our lecture. More 👉 beyondgravity.com/careers

A model of our satellite 🛰️ platform was also on display at our booth at Polymesse.

Would you like to help shape the future of space exploration and contribute to groundbreaking missions? This week, our colleagues attended the Polymesse at ETH Zürich, where they informed attendees about career opportunities. Many people visited our booth and attended our lecture. More 👉 beyondgravity.com/careers

A model of our satellite 🛰️ platform was also on display at our booth at Polymesse.

🛰️ 🛰️ 🛰️Three European Earth observation satellites will launch later this year. We provided crucial components to all three satellites of @EuropeanSpaceAgency, which recently were on show at Thales Alenia Space in France.

ESA’s FLEX satellite (first image) will measure the health of plants by detecting the fluorescent signal emitted by vegetation. The European @EUMETSAT_media weather satellite Meteosat Third Generation (MTG-Imager 2) will further improve weather forecasts. The environmental satellite Sentinel-3C of European Commission’s Copernicus program will deliver new environmental data. More 👉 esa.int

Image: MTG-I2, FLEX and Sentinel-3C on show at Thales Alenia Space cleanrooms. (c) ESA

From Emmen to Kourou – another payload fairing for the Ariane 6 has left our site in Emmen and is embarking on its exciting journey to Kourou, French Guiana! 🚀🌍 Every time a true highlight to witness such a transport. Safe travels, fairing – see you in orbit!

#Ariane6 #BeyondGravity #SpaceJourney #PayloadFairing #payload

From Emmen to Kourou – another payload fairing for the Ariane 6 has left our site in Emmen and is embarking on its exciting journey to Kourou, French Guiana! 🚀🌍 Every time a true highlight to witness such a transport. Safe travels, fairing – see you in orbit!

#Ariane6 #BeyondGravity #SpaceJourney #PayloadFairing #payload

From Emmen to Kourou – another payload fairing for the Ariane 6 has left our site in Emmen and is embarking on its exciting journey to Kourou, French Guiana! 🚀🌍 Every time a true highlight to witness such a transport. Safe travels, fairing – see you in orbit!

#Ariane6 #BeyondGravity #SpaceJourney #PayloadFairing #payload

From Emmen to Kourou – another payload fairing for the Ariane 6 has left our site in Emmen and is embarking on its exciting journey to Kourou, French Guiana! 🚀🌍 Every time a true highlight to witness such a transport. Safe travels, fairing – see you in orbit!

#Ariane6 #BeyondGravity #SpaceJourney #PayloadFairing #payload

Would you like to challenge the impossible and contribute to the next groundbreaking space missions, such as the Artemis 🌑 lunar missions or major commercial satellite 🛰️ missions? At this week’s Polymesse at ETH Zürich, you can get firsthand information from our colleagues at our booth. You can find us at stand number 16 in the ETH main building 👉 polymesse.ch

On Tuesday, April 21, colleagues from us will give a lecture about working at Beyond Gravity and what we offer for young talents

Would you like to challenge the impossible and contribute to the next groundbreaking space missions, such as the Artemis 🌑 lunar missions or major commercial satellite 🛰️ missions? At this week’s Polymesse at ETH Zürich, you can get firsthand information from our colleagues at our booth. You can find us at stand number 16 in the ETH main building 👉 polymesse.ch

On Tuesday, April 21, colleagues from us will give a lecture about working at Beyond Gravity and what we offer for young talents

Providing solar energy for a one-million-kilometer journey through deep space. The European Service Module generated electrical power through its four solar arrays during the over 1 million kilometers journey of the Artemis II Orion crew capsule 🧑‍🚀 Our solar array drive mechanisms aligned the four solar wings towards the Sun. Our mechanisms also played a key role in crucial maneuvers like the lunar orbit injection, where our mechanisms tilted the four solar wings forward

The European Service Module was assembled by @Airbus_Space in Bremen on behalf of @europeanspaceagency.

The biggest challenge for our drive mechanisms is to transmit power from the rotating section (the solar panel) to the crew module and to orient the solar wing under extreme conditions, such as in cold environments. A specific requirement for the Artemis lunar missions involves the effects of special propulsion maneuvers that accelerate the crew capsule toward the Moon. Significantly higher forces and torques occur than with conventional satellites. It was even necessary to implement a second axis of rotation to allow the solar panels to be deployed.

We are Europe’s leading supplier of Solar Array Drive Mechanisms (SADM) with over two decades of experience in developing and producing high-quality and reliable SADMs. Beyond Gravity offers a comprehensive range of solutions to meet the needs of all mission profiles, from microsatellites to the largest telecommunication and Earth observation satellites

Our Solar Array Drive Mechanisms have been used in a wide range of successful space missions, including the European Space Agency’s BepiColombo mission to Mercury or the European asteroid mission Hera.

Image credit: #NASA #ESA

#Artemis #Moon

Austria‘s only rocket launch took place during @esero_austria CanSat event in Upper Austria today. Student teams build satellites in the size of a coke can. They are launched aboard a @tuwienspaceteam rocket. We are a sponsor of the competition.

Behind the scenes with SRF at our site in Zurich Seebach 🎥✨

It was exciting to open the doors to our cleanroom and share how we support NASA’s Artemis II mission – with insights from our colleagues Oliver Grassmann, Josef Zemann, Christian Anderau and Laura‑Jane Gerber

Our teams in Zurich and Nyon supply the Solar Array Drive Mechanisms – including slip rings and twist capsules – that deploy and precisely steer Orion’s four solar wings, keeping them aligned with the Sun and securing a reliable power supply on the journey to the Moon. These highly complex systems can also reposition the arrays to protect them during key maneuvers and support external inspection cameras, making them a small but critical part of humanity’s return to the Moon. 🚀

📎 Link to the "SRF 10 vor 10" Post
https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/10-vor-10/video/artemis-2-mission---mit-schweizer-beteiligung?urn=urn:srf:video:91a3aa8d-74fd-4f95-84ba-6d68fa66e7a7

#artemis #artemis2 #spaceexploration #swissspace #switzerland🇨🇭 #beyondgravity #behindthescene

Behind the scenes with SRF at our site in Zurich Seebach 🎥✨

It was exciting to open the doors to our cleanroom and share how we support NASA’s Artemis II mission – with insights from our colleagues Oliver Grassmann, Josef Zemann, Christian Anderau and Laura‑Jane Gerber

Our teams in Zurich and Nyon supply the Solar Array Drive Mechanisms – including slip rings and twist capsules – that deploy and precisely steer Orion’s four solar wings, keeping them aligned with the Sun and securing a reliable power supply on the journey to the Moon. These highly complex systems can also reposition the arrays to protect them during key maneuvers and support external inspection cameras, making them a small but critical part of humanity’s return to the Moon. 🚀

📎 Link to the "SRF 10 vor 10" Post
https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/10-vor-10/video/artemis-2-mission---mit-schweizer-beteiligung?urn=urn:srf:video:91a3aa8d-74fd-4f95-84ba-6d68fa66e7a7

#artemis #artemis2 #spaceexploration #swissspace #switzerland🇨🇭 #beyondgravity #behindthescene

Behind the scenes with SRF at our site in Zurich Seebach 🎥✨

It was exciting to open the doors to our cleanroom and share how we support NASA’s Artemis II mission – with insights from our colleagues Oliver Grassmann, Josef Zemann, Christian Anderau and Laura‑Jane Gerber

Our teams in Zurich and Nyon supply the Solar Array Drive Mechanisms – including slip rings and twist capsules – that deploy and precisely steer Orion’s four solar wings, keeping them aligned with the Sun and securing a reliable power supply on the journey to the Moon. These highly complex systems can also reposition the arrays to protect them during key maneuvers and support external inspection cameras, making them a small but critical part of humanity’s return to the Moon. 🚀

📎 Link to the "SRF 10 vor 10" Post
https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/10-vor-10/video/artemis-2-mission---mit-schweizer-beteiligung?urn=urn:srf:video:91a3aa8d-74fd-4f95-84ba-6d68fa66e7a7

#artemis #artemis2 #spaceexploration #swissspace #switzerland🇨🇭 #beyondgravity #behindthescene

Behind the scenes with SRF at our site in Zurich Seebach 🎥✨

It was exciting to open the doors to our cleanroom and share how we support NASA’s Artemis II mission – with insights from our colleagues Oliver Grassmann, Josef Zemann, Christian Anderau and Laura‑Jane Gerber

Our teams in Zurich and Nyon supply the Solar Array Drive Mechanisms – including slip rings and twist capsules – that deploy and precisely steer Orion’s four solar wings, keeping them aligned with the Sun and securing a reliable power supply on the journey to the Moon. These highly complex systems can also reposition the arrays to protect them during key maneuvers and support external inspection cameras, making them a small but critical part of humanity’s return to the Moon. 🚀

📎 Link to the "SRF 10 vor 10" Post
https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/10-vor-10/video/artemis-2-mission---mit-schweizer-beteiligung?urn=urn:srf:video:91a3aa8d-74fd-4f95-84ba-6d68fa66e7a7

#artemis #artemis2 #spaceexploration #swissspace #switzerland🇨🇭 #beyondgravity #behindthescene

Behind the scenes with SRF at our site in Zurich Seebach 🎥✨

It was exciting to open the doors to our cleanroom and share how we support NASA’s Artemis II mission – with insights from our colleagues Oliver Grassmann, Josef Zemann, Christian Anderau and Laura‑Jane Gerber

Our teams in Zurich and Nyon supply the Solar Array Drive Mechanisms – including slip rings and twist capsules – that deploy and precisely steer Orion’s four solar wings, keeping them aligned with the Sun and securing a reliable power supply on the journey to the Moon. These highly complex systems can also reposition the arrays to protect them during key maneuvers and support external inspection cameras, making them a small but critical part of humanity’s return to the Moon. 🚀

📎 Link to the "SRF 10 vor 10" Post
https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/10-vor-10/video/artemis-2-mission---mit-schweizer-beteiligung?urn=urn:srf:video:91a3aa8d-74fd-4f95-84ba-6d68fa66e7a7

#artemis #artemis2 #spaceexploration #swissspace #switzerland🇨🇭 #beyondgravity #behindthescene

Behind the scenes with SRF at our site in Zurich Seebach 🎥✨

It was exciting to open the doors to our cleanroom and share how we support NASA’s Artemis II mission – with insights from our colleagues Oliver Grassmann, Josef Zemann, Christian Anderau and Laura‑Jane Gerber

Our teams in Zurich and Nyon supply the Solar Array Drive Mechanisms – including slip rings and twist capsules – that deploy and precisely steer Orion’s four solar wings, keeping them aligned with the Sun and securing a reliable power supply on the journey to the Moon. These highly complex systems can also reposition the arrays to protect them during key maneuvers and support external inspection cameras, making them a small but critical part of humanity’s return to the Moon. 🚀

📎 Link to the "SRF 10 vor 10" Post
https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/10-vor-10/video/artemis-2-mission---mit-schweizer-beteiligung?urn=urn:srf:video:91a3aa8d-74fd-4f95-84ba-6d68fa66e7a7

#artemis #artemis2 #spaceexploration #swissspace #switzerland🇨🇭 #beyondgravity #behindthescene

Humans have never gone further into space 🧑‍🚀 😮 The four NASA astronauts are using the Orion crew capsule, which is powered by the European Service Module. We supplied the solar array drive mechanisms for the European Service Module, which are used to move its four solar wings. These mechanisms enable extremely precise movements. They allow the solar wings to tilt and rotate in order to track the Sun ☀️ Developed in Zurich, Switzerland, they include slip rings and twist capsules from our Nyon site.

The European Service Module was developed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space on behalf of the @EuropeanSpaceAgency. It powers Orion and provides the astronauts on board with electricity, propulsion, drinking water, a breathable atmosphere and a comfortable temperature. Artemis II takes four astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth.

Image credits: @nasa

#moon #artemis #nasa # space

Humans have never gone further into space 🧑‍🚀 😮 The four NASA astronauts are using the Orion crew capsule, which is powered by the European Service Module. We supplied the solar array drive mechanisms for the European Service Module, which are used to move its four solar wings. These mechanisms enable extremely precise movements. They allow the solar wings to tilt and rotate in order to track the Sun ☀️ Developed in Zurich, Switzerland, they include slip rings and twist capsules from our Nyon site.

The European Service Module was developed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space on behalf of the @EuropeanSpaceAgency. It powers Orion and provides the astronauts on board with electricity, propulsion, drinking water, a breathable atmosphere and a comfortable temperature. Artemis II takes four astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth.

Image credits: @nasa

#moon #artemis #nasa # space

Leaving Earth’s orbit & heading to the Moon 🌑 👨‍🚀 Four NASA astronauts are on their way to the Moon following a successful manoeuvre on 2 April, in which our mechanisms played an important role.

After reaching space, the European Service Module powering the NASA Orion crew capsule deployed its four solar array wings. This allowed the spacecraft to receive energy from the Sun ☀️ Our solar array drive mechanisms enable the four solar wings to precisely tilt and rotate towards the Sun. Our mechanisms are also used to position cameras 📷 for spacecraft inspection.

Yesterday’s six-minute firing 🔥 of the service module engine propelled the crew capsule out of Earth’s orbit and onto the path towards the Moon. This process is known as the ‚translunar injection burn‘. During lunar orbit insertion, our mechanisms tilt forward to shield the solar cells from the exhaust of Orion’s main engine.

The main engine sits on the @EuropeanSpaceAgency’s European Service Module, which provides propulsion, power, oxygen, water and life support for the Orion crew module as well as controlling the temperature.

Image credit: @nasa

Leaving Earth’s orbit & heading to the Moon 🌑 👨‍🚀 Four NASA astronauts are on their way to the Moon following a successful manoeuvre on 2 April, in which our mechanisms played an important role.

After reaching space, the European Service Module powering the NASA Orion crew capsule deployed its four solar array wings. This allowed the spacecraft to receive energy from the Sun ☀️ Our solar array drive mechanisms enable the four solar wings to precisely tilt and rotate towards the Sun. Our mechanisms are also used to position cameras 📷 for spacecraft inspection.

Yesterday’s six-minute firing 🔥 of the service module engine propelled the crew capsule out of Earth’s orbit and onto the path towards the Moon. This process is known as the ‚translunar injection burn‘. During lunar orbit insertion, our mechanisms tilt forward to shield the solar cells from the exhaust of Orion’s main engine.

The main engine sits on the @EuropeanSpaceAgency’s European Service Module, which provides propulsion, power, oxygen, water and life support for the Orion crew module as well as controlling the temperature.

Image credit: @nasa

Leaving Earth’s orbit & heading to the Moon 🌑 👨‍🚀 Four NASA astronauts are on their way to the Moon following a successful manoeuvre on 2 April, in which our mechanisms played an important role.

After reaching space, the European Service Module powering the NASA Orion crew capsule deployed its four solar array wings. This allowed the spacecraft to receive energy from the Sun ☀️ Our solar array drive mechanisms enable the four solar wings to precisely tilt and rotate towards the Sun. Our mechanisms are also used to position cameras 📷 for spacecraft inspection.

Yesterday’s six-minute firing 🔥 of the service module engine propelled the crew capsule out of Earth’s orbit and onto the path towards the Moon. This process is known as the ‚translunar injection burn‘. During lunar orbit insertion, our mechanisms tilt forward to shield the solar cells from the exhaust of Orion’s main engine.

The main engine sits on the @EuropeanSpaceAgency’s European Service Module, which provides propulsion, power, oxygen, water and life support for the Orion crew module as well as controlling the temperature.

Image credit: @nasa

Leaving Earth’s orbit & heading to the Moon 🌑 👨‍🚀 Four NASA astronauts are on their way to the Moon following a successful manoeuvre on 2 April, in which our mechanisms played an important role.

After reaching space, the European Service Module powering the NASA Orion crew capsule deployed its four solar array wings. This allowed the spacecraft to receive energy from the Sun ☀️ Our solar array drive mechanisms enable the four solar wings to precisely tilt and rotate towards the Sun. Our mechanisms are also used to position cameras 📷 for spacecraft inspection.

Yesterday’s six-minute firing 🔥 of the service module engine propelled the crew capsule out of Earth’s orbit and onto the path towards the Moon. This process is known as the ‚translunar injection burn‘. During lunar orbit insertion, our mechanisms tilt forward to shield the solar cells from the exhaust of Orion’s main engine.

The main engine sits on the @EuropeanSpaceAgency’s European Service Module, which provides propulsion, power, oxygen, water and life support for the Orion crew module as well as controlling the temperature.

Image credit: @nasa