E.ON Ruhrgas transfers ascos satellite reference service to Astrium and ALLSAT

Essen, Munich, Hannover, 26 September 2007 – The board of directors of E.ON Ruhrgas AG has decided to transfer the operation and marketing of its ascos satellite reference service to a new provider. The new ascos provider is to be a joint initiative between Astrium Services (Munich) and ALLSAT (Hannover). The partnership will continue to provide and expand the full range of ascos services for customers.

ascos was founded by E.ON Ruhrgas in 1999 to handle the surveying, maintenance and operation of its own gas pipelines. The service uses positioning signals obtained from the existing satellite navigation systems GPS (USA) and GLONASS (Russia) and corrects the data to within centimetre accuracy using a network of reference stations. This makes it possible to locate buried gas pipelines without damaging them during excavation work, for example, or to give accurate directions to helicopters inspecting gas pipes for leakage from the air.

Continuity of the service for all existing and future ascos customers will be assured particularly by ALLSAT’s participation. The ALLSAT specialists have played a significant part in the development and technical operation of the reference service since ascos was first created in 1999. Major elements of the technical operation of ascos have already been entrusted to the Hannover-based company, which has gained wide-ranging experience in ongoing applications over the past several years – involving networking software packages made available by any manufacturer. What is more, ALLSAT – a company certified for quality under the stringent European EFQM system – possesses an excellent overall view of the wide variety of GNSS applications in the areas of surveying, navigation and geo information systems.

Founded in 2003, Astrium Services is the fastest growing branch of the EADS space division. The European company is firmly established in the market as a reliable provider of public-sector satellite services for communications. Astrium Services not only handles the operating and marketing aspects of satellite navigation system, but more importantly provides added-value and augmentation services for satellite navigation users. In leading the consortium for the new ascos provider, Astrium Services is continuing to expand its strategic role as a “one-stop shop” for satellite communications and satellite navigation.

Not only the previous owner, E.ON Ruhrgas AG, but also the present ascos customers are set to benefit from the re-organisation of the ascos satellite reference service. In transferring ascos to Astrium Services and ALLSAT, it was of decisive importance to the Essen-based power company that the new providers guarantee uninterrupted operation of ascos and agree on commercial terms and conditions for the first five years. All customers are thereby assured the continuity of ascos operations without any limitations on the type of terminal equipment used. E.ON Ruhrgas can now cut down the amount of work it invests in operating the satellite reference service, and instead concentrate on its core business in the energy market.

• About ascos:

In 1999, to handle the maintenance and operation of its pipeline network, E.ON Ruhrgas AG developed an independent satellite reference service: ascos – satellite positioning services.

ascos provides geodetic positioning data obtained from the American GPS system and its Russian counterpart, GLONASS. To compensate for their lack of accuracy, ascos uses correction data from a Germany-wide network of reference stations. Users can thus be provided with real-time positioning data that is accurate to within a few centimetres. Thanks to greater precision and faster data collection, the system cuts processing time by as much as 60 percent compared to conventional positioning methods. Performance can be even further enhanced with further added-value services such as ascos Trans, which greatly facilitates surveying tasks involving several German Länder, or the ascos ViPP post-processing service, which makes data available on an Internet platform in RINEX format.

Typical areas of application for ascos include positioning, navigation solutions and dynamic processes involving spatial references, as well as the control of plant and machinery. Extending its horizons beyond the energy and public utilities sector, ascos has succeeded in tapping new markets in sectors such as construction, agriculture and forestry, as well as applications associated with the Deutsche Bahn AG.

ascos - satellite positioning services, Essen - http://ascos.eon-ruhrgas.com

• About E.ON Ruhrgas AG:

E.ON Ruhrgas was founded over 80 years ago and today employs a workforce of roughly 13,000 throughout Europe. E.ON Ruhrgas is part of E.ON AG, which is primarily active in the European electricity and gas sector with around 80,000 employees. This makes E.ON AG one of Europe’s leading gas companies. In 2006, the company sold more than 70 billion cubic metres of natural gas in Europe. Long-standing partnerships with producing countries such as Russia and Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands form one of the cornerstones of E.ON’s success. Its customers are supplied through an ultra-modern, state-of-the-art networked system of gas pipelines, underground gas storage facilities and compression stations. Comprehensive service packages, including consultation services for customers and commercial partners, are also provided, while research and development activities primarily focus on solutions to protect the climate and improve energy efficiency.

• About Astrium Services:

Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and military space systems and services. In 2006, Astrium generated revenues of €3.2 billion and employed a workforce of about 11,000 in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. The company has three main areas of activity: Astrium Space Transportation, dedicated to launch vehicles and space infrastructures, and Astrium Satellites, dedicated to satellite and ground segments, form two Business Units. These are joined by the wholly owned subsidiary Astrium Services, which is dedicated to the development and provision of satellite-based services.

Astrium Services focuses on the development, provision and marketing of satellite-based services, first and foremost secure communications and navigation. In its capacity as a European provider of single-source military communications services, Astrium Services employs innovative and competitive end-to-end solutions to meet the needs of its customers.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2006, EADS generated revenues of €39.4 billion and employed a workforce of more than 116,000.

Astrium Services, Munich - http://www.astrium.eads.net - info-ascos@astrium.eads.net

• About ALLSAT GmbH network+services:

Founded in 1991, ALLSAT was one of the first engineering firms in Germany to specialise in satellite-based surveying and navigation applications. The highly specialised team of engineers in Hannover, design, implement and operate GNSS reference networks and develop software for mobile data collection, data processing and data visualisation applications in the high-precision positioning and navigation sector.

ALLSAT has participated in the setup and operation of ascos since 1999. In 2000 these activities were transferred to Allsat GmbH network+services, which is now a partner in the new joint venture that will take over ascos. ALLSAT sells combined GPS+GLONASS receivers for positioning and navigation applications. The company is participating in European research projects for developing a combined Galileo+GPS receiver and defining the specifications for the Galileo European satellite navigation system from the viewpoint of the energy industry. ALLSAT possesses extensive experience in the user-oriented practical utilisation of GNSS systems, this being derived from numerous projects, which include work for Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), the German air traffic control company, and surveying the international borders between Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen.

Allsat GmbH network+services employs a highly specialised team of geodesists, IT engineers, and project managers trained to European and international standards (IPMA, PMI). The company is quality-certified in accordance with the EFQM European QM system.

ALLSAT, Hannover - http://www.allsat.de

Press contacts:

Helmut Roloff, E.ON Ruhrgas AG, Corporate communication, Phone: + 49 (0) 201 1844464

Mathias Pikelj, Astrium, Corporate communication, Phone: + 49 (0) 7545 89123

Dr. Dirk Hermsmeyer, ALLSAT, Phone: + 49 (0) 511 3039934