Astrium is the European leader in space programmes, from large-scale space systems to satellite services. Ariane 5 completed its 48th consecutive launch success on 16 May 2012. Photo courtesy of Astrium

Brussels, Belgium - September 28, 2012

• Astrium Services has been awarded the ESCPC framework contract by the European Defence Agency (EDA) to be the first provider of commercial satellite communications for European military needs

• The EDA’s newly established European Satellite Communications Procurement Cell (ESCPC) will enable the European military community to buy satcom services through innovative and cost effective schemes

• Astrium Services will bring to the ESCPC its extensive experience in delivering state of the art satellite services to forces worldwide


Astrium, Europe’s leading space company, has been awarded a three year contract by the European Defence Agency (EDA) to provide commercial satellite communications capacity for European military needs.

Astrium is the European leader in space programmes, from large-scale space systems to satellite services. The third ATV, ‘Edoardo Amaldi’, successfully docked with the International Space Station in March 2012. Photo courtesy of Astrium

This contract will be managed by the EDA’s newly established procurement cell, the ESCPC (European Satellite Communications Procurement Cell).

Astrium Services will provide the EDA with satellite communications in commercial bands (C, Ku and Ka) for European military needs, and associated value added services including lease of terminals, anchoring and backhauling, worldwide.

The Columbus lab provides a full-scale research environment under microgravity conditions. Photo courtesy of Astrium

The ESCPC will allow the European Union member states to pool their needs, purchase, and even switch satellite communication capacity between themselves, in a coordinated manner, ultimately ensuring the best and most cost effective access to satcom services.

To date, five contributing member states - France, Italy, Poland, Romania and the United Kingdom - have decided to join the ESCPC to benefit from cost savings for their commercial satcoms needs.

EDRS, the new ‘space data highway’, will provide Europe with independent, on-demand access to Earth-observation data. Photo courtesy of Astrium / ESA

Astrium Services will offer its one-stop-shop 24/7 expertise to manage and execute a complete service catalogue for the delivery of the upcoming orders placed by EDA on behalf of the contributing member states.

Eric Béranger, CEO of Astrium Services. Photo courtesy of Astrium

Eric Béranger, CEO of Astrium Services, said:
“As a commercial company and a pioneer in providing milsatcoms to governments and defence ministries, we are very proud to be the first to provide commercial satellite communications to the European Defence Agency through such an innovative scheme. Being European, Astrium Services is fully engaged in making a significant contribution to European defence.”

Earth observation satellites like MetOp enable us to better understand our climate and weather. Photo courtesy of Astrium

Satellite communications are critical operational enablers that link both command and control systems and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting systems.

Demand is growing significantly, particularly with the widespread use of data rate hungry applications such as drones (RPAS, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) on the battlefields, which require significant satcoms capacity for control and transmission of data from sensors.

Astrium Services has built up unrivalled experience as an end-to-end satcoms and value added services provider for military users worldwide.

This is one of the first images from Pléiades 1A, a very high-resolution dual-use observation system for civil and military users. Photo courtesy of Astrium

Today, Astrium Services is one of the most innovative providers of IP-based satcoms technologies for ground segment solutions and telecommunication services.

Astrium Services offers a complete choice of frequency bands covering L, C, Ku, Ka, X and UHF, providing satellite-based military communication services to some of the most demanding armed forces in the world, including those of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, the United States and NATO.


About Astrium


Astrium is the number one company in Europe for space technologies and the third in the world.

In 2011, Astrium had a turnover close to €5 billion and 18,000 employees worldwide, mainly in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands.

Astrium is the sole European company that covers the whole range of civil and defence space systems and services.

Its three business units are: Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure; Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment; Astrium Services for comprehensive fixed and mobile end-to-end solutions covering secure and commercial satcoms and networks, high security and broadcast satellite communications equipment and systems, and bespoke geo-information services, worldwide.

Astrium is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services.

In 2011, the Group – comprising Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter – generated revenues of € 49.1 billion and employed a workforce of over 133,000.

Further information www.astrium.eads.net  


Press contacts:

Jeremy Close
Media Relations UK
Astrium United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 1 438 77 3872

Gregory Gavroy
Astrium France
Media Relations France
Tel.: +33 (0) 1 77 75 80 32

Ralph Heinrich
Media Relations Germany
Astrium Germany
Tel.: +49 89 60 73 39 71
Fax: +49 89 60 72 97 65

Francisco Lechon
Media Relations Spain
Astrium Spain
Tel.: +34 91 5 86 37 41
Fax: +34 91 5 86 37 82


SOURCE: Astrium

http://www.astrium.eads.net/  

http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/all-press-releases.html  



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