The driving force for space

The company’s Lampoldshausen site specialises in the design, development, manufacture and testing of thrusters and complete propulsion systems for orbital satellites, interplanetary space probes, platforms, automated logistics vehicles, upper stage Attitude and Orbit Control Systems (AOCS) and launch vehicle roll control systems. Core competencies are in the fields of ion, cold gas, monopropellant and bipropellant thrusters ranging from 0.02 N to 400 N thrust. Rocket engine, propulsion system and thruster hot-fire testing is carried out at Astrium's Lampoldshausen Test Centre, co-located with the ESA test facility at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).

At its Ottobrunn site, Astrium designs, develops and manufactures engines and thrust chambers for launch vehicles, including upper stages, with core competencies here in bipropellant and cryogenic propellant engines ranging from 400 N to 1350 kN. The Ottobrunn site also produces cryogenic propellant and pressurant valves and associated equipment for rocket propulsion systems.