IMPORTANT ROLE OF ASTRIUM ON FLIGHT 157

Flight 157 is particularly significant for Astrium.

Astrium has played a leading role in the development and construction of both satellites on board.

• Hot Bird 7: Astrium has provided both the platform and the payload. It is based on the company’s well-proven Eurostar E2000+ platform, a best seller for broadcasting missions acclaimed for its success in orbit, which has set record levels for service availability. The spacecraft has a launch mass of 3350 kg, power levels of 7.5 kW and a design lifetime of up to 15 years.

• Stentor: Astrium is co-prime for the programme and proxy for the industrial contract. In particular, the company has provided the spacecraft’s avionics and flight software, which ensure attitude and orbit control, on-board management, and primary power and thermal system control.

• VEB: The VEB (Vehicle Equipment Bay) made by Astrium in Toulouse has been re-developed (as part of the Ariane 5 Plus programme led by French space agency CNES on behalf of the European Space Agency) to adapt to the new upper stage, to improve the launcher’s performance capabilities, and to reduce costs. This VEB has a lighter structure made of carbon fibre. The structure supports upgraded electronics, using SMDs. It also features guidance units offering higher performance levels and built around a single, three-axis rate gyro.

In addition, Astrium Space Infrastructure Division has the responsibility of Ariane 5 upper stage.