EADS Astrium and THALES co-prime contractors for
ELINT space demonstrator
The DGA (French Government Armament Procurement Agency) Observation, Telecommunication and Information Programmes Department, within the framework of an integrated programme team with the CNES (French Space Agency), has awarded EADS Astrium and Thales, as co-prime contractors, a contract for the development of an ELINT space system demonstrator. The same industrial team has successfully developed the Essaim space demonstrator.
EADS Astrium will represent the industrial consortium and will manage the system definition, the development of the space segment with a contribution to the payload, and the launch of the satellites.
Thales will coordinate the mission related aspects with a contribution to the system architecture, and manage the payloads and ground user segment.
This demonstrator is named ELISA (Electronic Intelligence Satellite). The contract covers the delivery, installation and maintenance of an experimental system to map the position and characteristics of radar emitters across the globe. The space segment is made up of four micro-satellites of the Myriade product line (130 kg class) operating on a sun synchronous orbit, which will be launched at the beginning of 2010. The in-orbit experimentatal phase is 3 years. This demonstrator sets the scene for the development of a future SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) operational system.
EADS Astrium is Europe’s leading satellite system specialist. Its activities cover complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and equipment.
EADS Astrium is a subsidiary of EADS SPACE. In 2005 EADS SPACE had a turnover of €2.7 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services.
In 2005, EADS generated revenues of €34.2 billion and employed a workforce of more than 113,000.
Thales is an international electronics and systems group, serving defense, aerospace, services and security markets. The group employs 60,000 people worldwide and generated revenues of 10.3 billion in 2004.
Thales is European leader in the field of avionics. It provides all the capabilities required by customers; from onboard equipment, sub-systems and systems to prime contracting and value-added services, both in civil and military markets.
Thales offers the entire space industry its proven excellence in key technologies and long experience in the design of complex systems. Thales has partnered the international space industry for nearly four decades. Today Thales offers a wide range of essential solutions and services.
Contacts Presse :
EADS Space (FR)
Rémi Roland : +33 (0) 1 42 24 27 34 -
http://www.space.eads.net
Thales Aerospace (FR)
Monique Navarra : +33 (0) 1 34 81 40 50 -
www.thalesgroup.com
