Airbus Safran Launchers (ASL) has been awarded a €2.4bn (US$2.7bn) contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop its next-generation launch vehicle. It is a milestone for the joint venture, which was created by Airbus Defence & Space and…
Airbus Safran Launchers (ASL) has been awarded a €2.4bn (US$2.7bn) contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop its next-generation launch vehicle.
It is a milestone for the joint venture, which was created by Airbus Defence & Space and Safran last year to develop the new Ariane 6 rocket and bring Europe’s launch industry under one roof.
The contract signed with ESA will finance the development and industrialisation of Ariane 6, the successor to industry stalwart Ariane 5, through to when it is due to become fully operational in 2023. ASL will receive the funds in instalments, the first of which will be for €680m and fund the initial development of Ariane 6 until mid-2016, when a design review is scheduled. The first test flight of the new launcher is planned for 2020.
ASL said that the total cost of developing the launcher will be €3bn. The remaining €600m will be covered by a €400m investment from European industrials, including ASL, and around €200m for the boosters, being developed by ELV, which builds the smaller Vega rocket. The boosters will be suitable for both the Ariane and Vega families.
ASL is currently awaiting the last approvals to finalise the transfer of French space agency CNES’s stake in Arianespace to give it majority control of the launch services provider, allowing it to become a one-stop-shop for customers and cut costs through synergies.
ASL said the transfer of the CNES shares will close in the coming months following regulatory approvals. It is unclear whether the JV will look to further increase its stake in Arianespace. The remaining 26% of its shares are in the hands of manufacturers from 10 different European countries which contribute to the Ariane and Vega launch vehicles.
The vertical integration strategy is designed to enable Europe to better compete with the pricing model of privately-held US company SpaceX, which has eaten into the market share of the industry’s long-standing government-backed launch providers.
Another part of Europe’s space makeover was announced in early June when Airbus DS revealed its plans for reusable rockets.
Called Adeline, Airbus’ concept is designed to allow the safe recovery of its launch vehicles’ main engines and avionics, which represent between 70% and 80% of the value of its rockets, and is scheduled to be ready in 2025. Adeline will be developed in-house by Airbus and then implemented by ASL.
ESA signs deals with CNES and ELV
In addition to the €2.4bn ASL contract, ESA has also signed a €600m deal with CNES and a €395m agreement with Italian manufacturer ELV – a public-private joint venture owned by aerospace company Avio (70%) and the Italian space agency (30%).
CNES has been hired to prepare a new launch pad and complex at Europe’s spaceport in Kourou in French Guiana suitable for Ariane 6. Meanwhile the ELV contract is to develop the new version of the light-lift Vega rocket, the Vega C, scheduled for its maiden flight in 2018.
Jan Woerner, director general of ESA, said: “These contracts will allow the development of a family of European launchers, highly competitive in the world market and ensuring autonomous access to space at fully competitive prices for ESA’s Member States.”
Alain Charmeau, CEO of Airbus Safran Launchers, said: “Both our and our European industrial partners’ commitment is a sign of our determination to provide our customers, whether they be institutional or commercial, with a launcher that is as reliable as ever while being increasingly competitive and adapted to the rapidly evolving space market.”