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Industry | Space industry, Space tourism |
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Predecessor | EADS Space |
Founded | December 2006 |
Founder | EADS |
Defunct | 2013 (reorganized) |
Successor | Airbus Defence and Space |
Headquarters | , |
Revenue | € 5.8 billion (2012) |
Number of employees | 18,000 (as of 2012[update]) |
Parent | EADS |
Website | http://www.astrium.eads.net/ |
Astrium was an aerospace manufacturer subsidiary of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) that provided civil and military space systems and services from 2006 to 2013. In 2012, Astrium had a turnover of €5.8 billion and 18,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Astrium was a member of Institute of Space, its Applications and Technologies.
In late 2013 Astrium was merged with Cassidian, the defence division of EADS and Airbus Military to form Airbus Defence and Space.[1] EADS itself was reorganized as the Airbus Group, with three divisions that include Airbus, Airbus Defence and Space, and Airbus Helicopters."[1]
During 2006–2013, the three main areas of activity within Astrium were:[citation needed]
Astrium Satellites was one of the three business units of Astrium (now Airbus Defence and Space), a subsidiary of EADS (now Airbus Group). It is a European space manufacturer involved in the manufacturing of spacecraft used for science, Earth observation and telecommunications, as well as the equipment and subsystems used therein and related ground systems.
EADS Astrium Satellites employs around 8,348 people on nine sites in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain. As of 15 October 2012, the CEO of Astrium is Eric Beranger who took over from Evert Dudok who became Astrium Services.
Astrium was formed in 2000 from a merger between Matra Marconi Space (France, UK) the space division of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG and Computadores Redes e Ingeniería SA. Hence Astrium was a joint EADS/BAE Systems venture.
On 16 June 2003 the minority shareholder, BAE Systems, sold its 25% share to European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, making EADS sole shareholder. Astrium became EADS Astrium Satellites and in a wider restructuring of EADS became the major constituent of EADS Astrium, which also includes EADS Astrium Space Transportation and EADS Astrium Services.
In this restructuring the former Astrium Space Infrastructure division merged with EADS Launchers & Vehicles division to form EADS SPACE Transportation, which became later EADS Astrium Space Transportation. Also, Paradigm Secure Communications, initially created by Astrium in the frame of the Skynet 5 contract for the UK Ministry of Defence became the major constituent of EADS SPACE Services.
CASA Espacio became part of EADS Astrium on 1 January 2004. EADS Astrium is the sole shareholder of Infoterra Ltd.
On 1 July 2006, the French subsidiary of EADS Astrium, EADS Astrium SAS, merged with other French subsidiaries of EADS Space (especially EADS Space Transportation). The name of the new company is Astrium SAS. Equivalent mergers have been achieved in 2006 in the other countries. Nevertheless, the EADS group does not communicate about these mergers, excepted when required by the law (contractual documents).
Astrium Services is the services division of EADS Astrium.
The services division specializes in military satellite communications services and currently employs about 2,200 personnel.
Astrium Services is responsible for delivering the following services and systems:
Main article: EADS Astrium Space Tourism Project |
In June 2007, EADS Astrium announced it would be entering the space tourism sector. On June 20, 2007 the company unveiled a model of the space jet, a one-stage sub-orbital hybrid craft, utilising both jet and rocket engines. Carrying four passengers, the space jet would take off from regular airports using conventional jet engines. Once flying to the needed altitude the rockets would then be fired. After reaching its final altitude of 100 km, passengers would experience weightlessness for three minutes. Tickets were expected to cost up to €200,000 with flights possibly beginning in 2012.[3] EADS estimated development cost will approach 1 billion Euros. In March 2009 EADS Astrium confirmed that the program had been placed on hold indefinitely; the decision had been made in January of that year.[4]
In September, 2012, Astrium won a €13 million mission "definition" and design contract from the DLR Space Administration to build a two-vehicle set of spacecraft to demonstrate several technologies necessary for on-orbit satellite servicing, including spacecraft refuelling, in order to enable satellite mission extension and also controlled disposal of a defective satellite. The project is entititled "DEOS" (German orbital servicing mission), and consists of "two satellites, a 'client' and a 'servicer'. The client acts as the satellite requiring maintenance or disposal. The servicer carries out the necessary work on the client." The two spacecraft will be launched together into low Earth orbit of 550 kilometres (340 mi). As of 2012[update], the mission "will be ready for launch in 2018."[5]
In 2010 Astrium signed with JSC NC Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary (KGS), the national company charged with the development of Kazakhstan’s space programme, a contract for a Satellite Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) Centre in Astana. Under the contract Astrium will provide and install the various test equipment (mechanical, radiometric, thermal and acoustic facilities) at the new AIT Centre. Astrium will also assist KGS in the construction of the AIT Centre to ensure coordination with the test equipment. The AIT Centre will form part of the Space City that the Kazakhstan space agency, Kazcosmos, is developing in Astana. The city will also include the ground segment for the two Astrium-built satellites, as well an administrative building and a space museum.[6]
Dec 1970 | Jan 1992 | July 2000 | Sep 2000 | Jan 2001 | Dec 2006 | Apr 2009 | Sep 2010 | Jan 2014 | May 2015 | Jan 2017 | Apr 2017 | ||
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company NV | Airbus Group NV | Airbus Group SE | Airbus SE | ||||||||||
Airbus Industrie GIE | Airbus SAS | ||||||||||||
Airbus Military SAS | Airbus Defence and Space SAS | ||||||||||||
EADS Defence and Security | Cassidian SAS | ||||||||||||
Astrium SAS | EADS Astrium SAS | ||||||||||||
Eurocopter SA | Eurocopter SAS | Airbus Helicopters SAS | |||||||||||