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From space to the ocean depths
April 3, 2008
- Space to be installed on French submarines
- Astrium to equip Barracuda fleet with life-support systems
Friedrichshafen, 2 April 2008 – Space technology developed by Europe’s leading space company Astrium will soon be installed on French submarines.
Astrium has developed a binding carbon dioxide (CO2) regenerative process for the International Space Station (ISS). Carbon dioxide is exhaled by human beings as a metabolic by-product and is noxious in high concentrations. It must therefore be removed from the air of any ‘closed’ atmosphere such as the space station or in submarines.
This technology developed by Astrium is now to be used on board the latest French submarine series ‘Barracuda’. Astrium was recently awarded the development and supply contract for this by the naval defence company DCNS in Cherbourg.
Astrium’s space experts won the contract after a four-year long competition in the face of established international rivals from the naval sector.
“This is the first time Astrium has adapted its technology developed for human spaceflight for use on French submarines. It's a great success," says Alain Charmeau, CEO of Astrium Space Transportation. The French navy is a key customer in this area. In total, all six boats of the Barracuda class are to be equipped with the Astrium life support system. The first vessel will be operational in 2017, and the others will be completed at two-year intervals.
The decisive factor in Astrium’s favour was that the company had achieved an excellent air quality for the ISS system using minimum energy and a compact design, required for space applications. The CO2 binding system is supplemented by an aggregate for controlling toxic substances, with which odours and other gases can be reliably bound and removed.
Astrium’s energy and life-support systems department in Friedrichshafen is the European centre of competence in this field. The life-support system for the European ISS Columbus module, which was docked to the Space Station on 10 February this year, was developed in Friedrichshafen. Some 25 staff work in this department, specialising in the development of closed systems designed to create comfortable living conditions for people in enclosed spaces using a minimum amount of resources. “In addition to being used on space stations, lunar or Mars-based stations and submarines, such ‘closed-loop’ processes could conceivably be of benefit to other areas in future, such as ground vehicles or aircraft, especially in view of the increasing burden on the environment,” says Dr Willigert Raatschen, head of the energy and life support systems department at Astrium.
Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems and services. In 2007, Astrium had a turnover of €3.5 billion and 12,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Its three main areas of activity are Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure, and Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment, and its wholly owned subsidiary Astrium Services for the development and delivery of satellite services.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2007, EADS generated revenues of €39.1 billion and employed a workforce of more than 116, 000.
Media Contacts:
Jeremy Close (Astrium UK) Phone: +44 (0)1 438 77 3872