service module

American  

noun

1. (often initial capital letters)  the section of an Apollo spacecraft containing the principal propulsion system, electrical system, water, and other supplies.

---

service module British  

noun

1. a section of an Apollo spacecraft housing the rocket engine, radar, fuel cells, etc, and jettisoned on re-entry into the earth's atmosphere See also lunar module command module

---

Etymology

Origin of service module

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

On arrival, the service module, which has the spacecraft's primary propulsion system, separates from the crew module.

From BBC

Along with Frank Borman and Bill Anders, Jim Lovell made history when the three undertook the first lunar mission on Apollo 8, testing the Command/Service Module and its life support systems in preparation for the later Apollo 11 landing.

From BBC

With it off the pad and in ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility at SLC-41, a deeper dive has been taken to assess the risk of the leak, which was traced to a flange on one of the reaction control system thrusters within one of the four engine compartments of Starliner’s service module.

From Seattle Times

If it’s determined work needs to be done on the service module, it could mean returning the Starliner to Boeing’s facilities at Kennedy Space Center for repairs, which would push the launch attempt to later this summer.

From Seattle Times

The agency is also supplying the service module for the Orion crew capsule.

From Seattle Times