United Launch Alliance has chosen Switzerland’s RUAG Space to make some of its rockets capable of launching two satellites at the same time from mid-2017.
Their strategic partnership aims to first give the capability to the Atlas V product line,…
United Launch Alliance has chosen Switzerland’s RUAG Space to make some of its rockets capable of launching two satellites at the same time from mid-2017.
Their strategic partnership aims to first give the capability to the Atlas V product line, followed by the Delta IV family a year later in 2018.
RUAG already provides payload fairings for Atlas V, as well as a composite structure that connects the main and upper stage of the rockets.
ULA, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, said the Swiss firm beat “two other highly qualified suppliers” in its six month hunt for a strategic partner.
Mike Jensen, VP of supplier management and procurement at the US launcher, said: “RUAG Space provided a proposal based on an innovative composite structure technology combined with excellence in system engineering and a willingness to invest in this important system design.”
The ability to offer dual launches not only lowers mission costs, but also adds flexibility for a satellite operator and can accelerate constellation deployment.
It also reduces pressure on launch manifests, with the capability already being used to great effect by rival launchers such as France’s Arianespace and Russia’s ILS.
RUAG CEO Peter Guggenbach said: “We are pleased to be part of the very important dual launch capability development programme.
“RUAG is a reliable and committed partner. Our corporate board along with the Swiss government strongly supports our long-term relationship with ULA, and we look forward to exploring the possibilities and opportunities created by our collaboration.”
RUAG also supplies payload fairings for European launch vehicles Ariane 5 and Vega. The company claims its payload fairings have been used in more than 220 launches – and have never failed.
The company employs 1,100 people at several locations in Switzerland, Sweden and Austria. Its space division generated total sales of SFr 285m (US$301.4m) in 2012.
Meanwhile, it emerged earlier this week that ULA is being sued by rival launch provider Orbital Sciences over how it buys engines for its Atlas V rockets.
