EADS Annual Results Press Conference: EADS Astrium

Ariane 5 – Thanks to the performance of their further developed cryogen Vulcain-2 central power plant and the load reinforced solid rocket booster the Ariane 5-ECA, flight 164, was launched into almost cloudless sky after a successful start on 12 February 2005 in French Guyana. The heavy-duty carrier version Ariane 5 ECA can bring a useful load of 9.6 tons in the geo-stationary transfer orbit (GTO), compared to a useful load capacity of 6.7 tons of the Ariane 5 Generic. A cryogen orbiter, driven by a HM7B power plant (which was already used for the third stage of the Ariane 4) was used. The french space agency CNES and EADS Astrium have developed the two-phase cooling circuit and the heat pipe, which are integrated into the cylindrical useful load. With the Ariane 5 ECA the company can now comply with higher performance, flexibility and competitiveness of the growing enquiry for initial services by the satellite telecommunication industry. EADS Astrium Space Transportation takes responsibility for the development, integration and start preparation of the complete Ariane 5 orbiter EPS (Etage Propergols Stockables) including the orbiter power plant Aestus in Ariane 5 programme. With up to ten tons of liquid propellant, EPS can be re-ignited in the flight after spotting a useful load in order to position further useful load at another location.

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Astrium's design, manufacture and test facilities are among the best appointed and most advanced in the space industry.

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GALILEO is the new European navigation satellite system for a global satellite-based network for precise positioning and timing information. Astrium is developing key elements of the demonstrator satellites.

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Artist's impression of the ice research satellite Cryosat-2. The Astrium built satellite will measure the sea ice thickness and changes at the land ice margins with previously unattained precision. Cryosat-2 will operate for 3.5 years from 720 km altitude.

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The weather satellite Metop (Meteorological operational polar satellite) was developed by a consortium of European industrial enterprise under guidance of main contractor Astrium. Astrium take the total responsibility for the final integration and preparation of starting the three MetOp satellites. The first of three satellites developed and built for the purpose of the common plan of ESA/Eumetsat was launched in 2006.

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Spot 5 - The satellites of the Spot Series are optical earth observation satellites. Spot 5 was started in 2002. The high resolution stereoscope HRS, with which digital ground model for applications for 3D-card generation can be generated, is located on board. Spot 5 supplies images with a resolution of 2.5 meters.

The Spot Series is based on multi-purpose satellite platforms, which was developed for the French Space Agency CNES. These were also used for other European earth observation satellites such as for ERS-1 and ERS-2, Envisat and Metop and the military observation satellites Helios.

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TerraSAR-X is the first German satellite to be built in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between DLR and Astrium, Europe’s leading space company. Surrounding the Earth on a polar orbit at an altitude of 514 kilometers, TerraSAR-X – with its active antenna – will collect new-quality X-band radar data of the entire planet. The satellite will operate independent of weather conditions, cloud coverage, and illumination and will be capable of delivering data at a resolution of up to 1 meter.

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The Automated Transfer Vehicle ATV during test phase in the large space simulator. The unmanned supply vehicle ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) is Astrium-developed and built for the European Space Agency (ESA). As a lifeline to Earth, the ATV will ferry propellants, food, water and equipment to the ISS. Once docked, it will use its own engines to correct the stationÕs orbit, compensating for a regular loss of altitude due to drag and will contribute to collision and debris avoidance. At the end of its mission, lasting up to six months, it will be filled with waste and burn up as it heads back into the atmosphere. The ATV will be the first European spacecraft to carry out an automatic rendezvous and docking with a space station. The first ATV, called Jules Verne, will be launched by an Ariane 5 in march 2008. A total of five missions are planned for the period up to 2013.

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The Automated Transfer Vehicle ATV during test phase in the large space simulator. The Astrium built unmanned spacecraft will suppy the International Space Station ISS with food, water, fuel and scientific experiments.

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Columbus space laboratory. The eight metre long laboratory contains standardized payload cupboards where experimental equipment can be stored. The take-off weight of Columbus is almost 13 tons including a payload of 2.5 tons. There is sufficient room in the module for three crew-members to work.

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COLUMBUS, Mock up 1:1 - In 1996, the European Space Agency ESA awarded Astrium the contract for the complete development and integration of the Columbus space laboratory, the European contribution to the International Space Station. The eight metre long laboratory contains standardized payload cupboards where experimental equipment can be stored. The take-off weight of Columbus is almost 13 tons including a payload of 2.5 tons. There is sufficient room in the module for three crew-members to work.

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COLUMBUS’ laboratory in the integration hall - In 1996, the European Space Agency ESA awarded Astrium the contract for the complete development and integration of the Columbus space laboratory, the European contribution to the International Space Station. The eight metre long laboratory contains standardized payload cupboards where experimental equipment can be stored. The take-off weight of Columbus is almost 13 tons including a payload of 2.5 tons. There is sufficient room in the module for three crewmembers to work.

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Helios II - Both the satellites Helios II of the new generation and the ground segment, developed by Astrium, ensure the continuity of the military reconnaissance programme Helios from 2005 and offer a series of improvements.

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The Skynet 5A satellite, launched in March 2007, provides secure beyond line of sight communications to the UK Ministry of Defence. The satellite is owned and operated by Paradigm, a subsidiary of Astrium Services.

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Bepi Colombo

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The European Herschel Space Observatory has the largest mirror ever built for a space telescope. At 3.5-metres in diameter the mirror will collect long-wavelength radiation from some of the coldest and most distant objects in the Universe. In addition, Herschel will be the only space observatory to cover a spectral range from the far infrared to sub-millimetre. Astrium is responsible for the mirror and the integrated payload module.

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Rosetta - Rosetta – The international Rosetta Mission deals with the third Cornerstone Mission of the long-term space research programme of the European Space Agency ESA. Aim of the mission started in March 2004 is a rendezvous with the comet Churyumov Gerasimenko in year 2014.
The probe will move for about two years in an orbit of a kilometer around the comets and explore the core and the surroundings of the comets. A landing device should explore the surface scientifically and analyse Churyumov Gerasimenko.
The probe was developed and built on behalf of the ESA by Astrium as main contractor.

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W2M is the first satellite being built by Astrium in partnership with ISRO. Under the W2M contract, Astrium is prime contractor in charge of overall programme management and the design and build of the communications payload. Antrix, the commercial arm of ISRO, supplies the satellite bus, based on the flight proven I3K model, and is in charge of the integration and test of the spacecraft.
W2M is based on the I3K spacecraft and will have a launch mass of about 3 tons and payload power of about 4 kW. It will operate typically 26 transponders in Ku-band and up to 32 depending on operational requirements, and feature great flexibility to operate a wide range of services. W2M will be launched in the second quarter of 2008 and has a planned 15-year mission lifetime.

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Hot Bird 8 - The Hot Bird 8 satellite is the largest ever ordered satellite by Eutelsat with 64 simultaneously operable transponders. This satellite is also positioned at 13° East and should support HOTBIRD™ 7A.
Not only the platform but also the useful load for the Eutelsat satellites Hot Bird 8 were developed by EADS Astrium. The satellite should supplement the Hot Bird satellite series for TV, radio and interactive services in 2006.

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