European leader for satellite systems and at the forefront of orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is owned by Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%) and forms with Telespazio the “Space Alliance”. Thales Alenia Space represents a worldwide standard for space development: from navigation to telecommunications, from meteorology to environmental monitoring, from defense to science and observation. Thales Alenia Space has 9 industrial sites in 4 European countries (France, Italy, Spain and Belgium) with over 7,200 employees worldwide.

#1 worldwide in terms of satellites ordered in 2006, Thales Alenia Space is at the heart of the most high-performance satellite technologies in both civil and defense sectors. The company is deeply involved in:

• Environmental projects based on Earth observation such as the Global Monitoring for Environment and Safety (GMES) program; and Meteorology such as MSG (Thales Alenia Space provided all the Meteosat satellites for Eumetsat);
• Navigation with Galileo (as prime contractor of EGNOS - the precursor of Galileo, and founding member and shareholder of ESNIS (European Satellite Navigation Industries) and the concessionaire (Euro-GNSS);

• Defense with major programs such as the French Syracuse (I, II and III) and the Italian (Sicral) telecommunication satellites ; and in dual civil-military observation programs such as Helios (France), COSMO-SkyMed (Italy) and SAR-Lupe (Germany)

Today, Thales Alenia Space is the leading European supplier of satellite-based solutions for Defense and Security, with strong positions in both satellite and ground systems. In addition, the company is the European benchmark supplier of facility operational services for the European Space Agency (ESA), the French space agency CNES, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) as well as for the French, Italian and German Ministries of Defense, the Defense procurement agency DGA and other major customers. Thales Alenia Space is also active in the civil-military satellite export market, through Koreasat 5 in South Korea and Star One in Brazil.

1 - Telecommunications satellites: a strong position accross the board, from components to systems

Thales Alenia Space is one of the world’s leading space telecom player, with orders from the United States, Russia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East, and growing business with Asian customers, especially from China.
Ranked #1 in the world in 2006 in terms of satellites ordered with 30% market share, Thales Alenia Space has been awarded 8 satellite contracts last year (Turksat 3A, Ciel-2 and AMC-21 for SES, W2A and W7 for Eutelsat, 2 Satcom BW for the German Defense Ministry and Sicral 1B for the Italian Defense Ministry) and has signed a Euro 661 million contract with Globalstar to provide their full second-generation constellation.

Thales Alenia Space offers an extended platform range, from small to powerful satellites – up to 6,000 kg, with 16 kW end-of-life power – featuring greater operational flexibility, proven reliability and extended life. Our current line of Spacebus geostationary telecom satellite platforms is the culmination of over twenty years of continuous development and now features in-flight proven new generation avionics.

Thales Alenia Space is also the worldwide leader in telecommunication payloads with over 150 payloads ordered. In addition, we are among the world leaders in space borne microwave equipment, with products integrated in 50% of all satellites built worldwide.

Thales Alenia Space is not only the world leader in geostationary weather satellites (as prime for first and second-generation Meteosat satellites - MSG), but has also developed strong expertise in low-orbit climatology missions (such as Calipso for CNES/NASA) and in the construction of Earth observation ground segments. Thales Alenia Space is the European leader in high-precision imaging instruments, including optical and radar instruments and also the world leader in space altimetry.

After its important participation in Cryosat and Envisat environmental monitoring satellite for the European Space Agency (ESA), in Earth observation satellites SPOT and in ocean observation satellites Jason 1 & 2 for CNES/NASA and SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) program for ESA, Thales Alenia Space is also playing a major role in GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Safety), a key European program that aims to set up a global monitoring system. GMES enables Thales Alenia Space to provide its competencies in meteorology, environment monitoring and earth observation.

Offering dual civil-military technologies, Thales Alenia Space is strongly involved in ORFEO (Optical and Radar Federated Earth Observation), the French-Italian dual-use system. In the scope of this program, the company has provided the dual COSMO-SkyMed radar satellites and its associated ground segment and the Pleïades optical satellites. Thales Alenia Space has also provided the high resolution instruments for Helios 1 & 2 French Defense and Security observation satellites.

Thales Alenia Space is the clear European reference in space-based science programs. Major successes include the exceptional results of the ISO (Infrared Space Observatory) spacecraft - designed to discover water traces around the planets in our solar system, followed by those of Integral - which is the most sensitive, accurate and advanced gamma-ray observatory ever launched.

In addition, Thales Alenia Space is involved in the ESA exploration challenges (GOCE, Rosetta, Mars Express, Venus Express, Herschel and Planck.. ) and plays a major role in present and future programs such as Corot, Aurora (ExoMars mission)...

The ExoMars program, worth 600 million euros, is one of the most important exploration missions in the near future. It aims at sending a lander rover to Mars in order to find traces of past or present life. Thales Alenia Space is in charge of the mission design, including the definition of the main system elements of the mission.

Thales Alenia Space was at the heart of the most ambitious and technological success of the Cassini-Huygens mission to Titan. Early in 2005, after a journey of seven years through our solar system, the Huygens space probe landed on the Saturn moon Titan. The probe, built by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space, has successfully executed all its scientific missions, which represents a world premier in space science. It was the first time that a man made object landed on the moon of such a distant planet in our solar system.

Thales Alenia Space is the first European company to have met the challenge of integrating a spacecraft designed to resist such harsh conditions. In addition, the company is also strongly involved in the Cassini orbiter that carried the Huygens probe to Saturn and that is continuing its exploration mission of this planet.

This position has been achieved thanks to a number of complementary skills, including the ability to coordinate international alliances in long-term endeavors, to assemble, integrate and test scientific probes, and through its proven expertise in the technologies needed for space astronomy and interplanetary missions with landings as well as in outer space telecommunications.

4 - Navigation solutions: prime contractor for Egnos and full-pledged player in Galileo

Thales Alenia Space is prime contractor for EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System), which was delivered to ESA mid- 2005 and is now operational. Thales Alenia Space led a consortium of 50 companies in 11 countries and provided key parts of the space and ground segments. In particular, it supplied the Performance Assessment Tools (PAT), the Central Control Facility (CCF), the Reference Integrity Monitoring Station (RIMS) and the Artemis satellite navigation transponder. Using both the GPS and Glonass constellations of satellites, EGNOS will provide users with highprecision positioning services, in the field of air navigation, land and maritime transport for example. It is an integral part of the services to be offered by Galileo, Europe’s future satellite navigation system and one of the biggest and most ambitious projects undertaken by the European space industry.

Thales Alenia Space is a full-fledged player in the Galileo program: as a founding member and shareholder of Galileo Industries and Galileo Concession. Thales Alenia Space defined the overall architecture of the Galileo system on behalf of the European Union and the satellite architecture for ESA. Thales Alenia Space has been a driving partner in Galileo since the outset, in charge of the ground segment as well as the satellite integration and providing critical equipment and subsystems. Giove-B satellite, which will be used for in-orbit testing of the new technologies and that will be launched in 2007, is in integration and testing within Thales Alenia Space in Rome.

Building on its experience in EGNOS, Galileo and Enhanced Assisted-GPS solutions, Thales Alenia Space offers value added Location-Based Solutions (LBS). As part of the EU’s 6th R&D program, Score integrates reliable positioning data in emergency services (E112) while Liaison supports the development of professional solutions for isolated workers, police and civil security forces, taxis...

5 - A major contribution to the International Space Station (ISS)

The International Space Station is one of the most advanced technology projects in the world and Thales Alenia Space has designed and built 50% of the Station’s pressurized volume, that is the living space. The company also contributed to the related launch, transportation and re-entry systems.

More specifically, Thales Alenia Space has developed the three inhabitable Multipurpose Pressurized Logistics Modules (MPLM) - Leonardo/ Rafaello/ Donateollo -, the masterpieces of the technology that have already successfully flow 6 missions; Nodes 2 and 3 (the interconnecting elements between the various pressurized modules on the ISS); the Cupola (an observation module); the Columbus scientific laboratory for research in a microgravity environment and the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), that will give vital logistic support to the International Space Station by transporting from Earth fuel, air and drinking water. In July 2006, the MPLM Leonardo successfully flew to the ISS onboard the Discovery shuttle carrying more than two tons of equipment and supplies.

6 - Turnkey solutions for all type of applications

Land and space technologies are complementary, and today’s satellite broadcasting capabilities mean effective and profitable solutions for all types of customers, whether governments, operators, businesses, trade associations, etc. Thales Alenia Space has established a strong position in the market for new applications, including solutions for Mobile TV, High Definition TV (HDTV), direct audio broadcasting (DAB), or highprecision positioning for wireless telephony (LBS).

Thales Alenia Space is making significant investments to meet current challenges, such as reducing the digital divide, and expanding broadband access. The company plays a major role in enabling operators to provide low-cost universal rural telephony services in remotely populated areas, where traditional fixed or mobile phone operators have difficulty offering services at acceptable price levels. As prime contractor, Thales Alenia Space has delivered to Rascom - the Regional African Satellite Communication Organization representing the interests of 44 African telecommunications operators, a satellite and its associated ground infrastructure that will enable them to provide voice, data telecommunications and Internet access as well as broadcasting satellite services to the whole African continent.

7 - An unprecedented industrial capability

Thales Alenia Space is present in 4 European countries with 11 industrial sites and has an extensive expertise in optical engineering, visible and infrared detection, mechanical and thermal architectures, cryogenics, and assembly, integration and test.