Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%).
For more than 40 years now, Thales Alenia Space has designed, integrated, tested, operated and delivered innovative space systems. Our cutting-edge products and services meet the needs of commercial and government customers from around the world, spanning the space, defense, science and security markets. Thales Alenia Space’s satellites and payloads are recognized worldwide as benchmarks in delivering communications and navigation services, monitoring our environment and the oceans, better understanding climate change and supporting scientific research. Today, Thales Alenia Space is one of the main suppliers to the International Space Station, and a pivotal player in systems to explore our Universe.
Along with Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space forms the Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of solutions and services.
Because of our unrivaled expertise in dual (civil-military) missions, constellations, flexible payloads, altimetry, meteorology and high-resolution radar and optical observation, Thales Alenia Space is the natural partner to countries that want to expand their space program.
Thales Alenia Space logged consolidated sales exceeding 2,4 billion euros in 2016, and has some 8000 employees in 9 countries.
- Telecommunication
Thales Alenia Space is one of the world’s leading designers of telecommunications satellites, platforms and payloads. The telecom segment accounts for half of the company’s business.
- Earth observation
Earth observation – based on its high or very-high resolution optical and radar payloads. We have established a position as a major supplier in export markets, covering military, dual and civilian missions: intelligence gathering, target designation, mapping, crisis management, meteorology, oceanography, climatology, etc.
- Navigation
European satellite navigation – as prime contractor for the Egnos augmentation system, the precursor to Galileo. We play a major role in its development, with system support for Galileo and a lead role in the in-orbit validation phase, not only through the first four satellites to be launched, but above all by building the Mission Ground Segment for the complete constellation.
- Orbital infrastructure and space transport
Thales Alenia Space is a major contributor to the International Space Station (ISS), responsible for over half of its pressurized volume, and played a major role on the ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) cargo vessels for ESA and on NASA’s Cygnus program, which will also bring supplies to the ISS. Thales Alenia Space has leveraged its unrivaled expertise in orbital infrastructures and space transport to meet new challenges, including the IXV reentry demonstrator for ESA, and the pressurized compartment on SOAR (Sub-Orbital Aircraft Reusable), which will carry both scientific experiments and astronauts. Thales Alenia Space will also be a leading contributor to the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) being developed by NASA.
AREAS OF ACTIVITY IN THE SPACE SECTOR:
- Telecommunications
- Earth Observation
- Science and Space Exploration
- Navigation
SCIENCE AND SPACE EXPLORATION:
Thales Alenia Space has always played an integral role in these hugely successful science and exploration programs. We also played a lead role in the recent Rosetta-Philae comet landing mission, in particular taking charge of the assembly, integration and testing of the Rosetta probe, as well as Europe’s Bepi-Colombo mission to explore the planet Mercury. In 2015, Thales Alenia Space is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Cassini-Huygens mission, including the landing on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, by the Huygens probe, built by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor. Our next scientific challenge is the European program Euclid, designed to help further our understanding of dark matter. The company is also a prime contractor on the ExoMars mission, which aims to study the Martian environment, atmosphere and soil. This mission will generate a mother lode of data, feeding researchers for many years to come. For the 2016 mission, Thales Alenia Space is in charge of designing the reentry module and designing and integrating the orbital module. On the 2018 mission, the French-Italian joint venture is in charge of developing the navigation and guidance system for the orbital and descent modules, as well as designing the Martian rover and building the analysis lab carried by the rover. This lab features a perforator, capable of drilling two meters deep into the Martian soil and removing samples.
