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Astrium is the leading European company in the space industry, and through space transportation solutions, satellite systems and related services has guaranteed Europe’s unrestricted access to space for more than 40 years. In 2011, Astrium reinforced its impressive record for programme execution, in particular through the 46th consecutive Ariane 5 launch success, and achieved important commercial successes in satellite activities. Meanwhile, the Division made significant progress towards its strategic goal of becoming a global leader in space services.

Astrium space transportation: expanding the frontiers

Astrium is the sole prime contractor for the Ariane 5 heavy-lift satellite launcher, and is also prime contractor for future developments on Ariane 5, starting with the Ariane 5 ME (Midlife Evolution) launcher, whose design was approved last year. The new launcher, due to enter service in 2017, will offer a 20% improvement both in capacity and cost per kilogram. Astrium’s technology is also hard at work in the International Space Station. The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) provides a lifeline to the ISS — a space vehicle designed to restock the station with fuel, food, water and equipment, as well as correcting its orbit. The Astrium-made Columbus laboratory provides scientists with a unique environment for zero-gravity research in very diverse fields.

Astrium satellites: serving millions

Astrium is a world leader in the design and manufacture of satellite systems, payloads, ground infrastructure and space equipment for a wide range of civil and military applications. Its business covers the categories of telecommunication, observation, scientific and navigation satellites. Astrium’s telecommunications satellites, based on the Eurostar family platforms, bring telephone, TV and Internet services to millions of users around the world, for business, leisure or just to stay in touch. Its Earth observation satellites — like SMOS and CryoSat — allow the collection of information for various fields, such as weather forecasting, climate monitoring and military reconnaissance, while its scientific satellites, such as the Herschel space telescope, have applications in planetary exploration.

Astrium services: providing tailored solutions

Astrium offers innovative, highly competitive end-to-end tailored services in the fields of secure communication and geo-information. As the European ‘one-stop-shop’ provider for military satellite communication services, Astrium delivers secure military satellite services to a number of countries. In 2011, Astrium acquired Vizada, a leading independent provider of global satellite communications services. A major public-private partnership contract was also signed with ESA to design, deliver and operate the European Data Relay System, a constellation of geostationary satellites which will transmit data at high speed from other satellites in low-Earth orbit. Astrium will be the exclusive commercial distributor of the Pléiades constellation, too.

ASTRIUM IN FIGURES

2011 revenues €5 billion

Employees 16,623

Number of Eurostar family platforms ordered 67

Satellites delivered in 2011 13

Successful consecutive Ariane 5 launches (up to mid- 2012) 48