Products and Systems

COLUMBUS - Space laboratory Columbus in the integration hall at EADS Astrium in Bremen.
Columbus, the main European contribution to the international space station. Columbus is a pressurised laboratory 6.7 metres long and four and a half metres in diameter, with its own survival system. Three astronaut-researchers will be able to carry out fundamental research work, covering material sciences, medicine, pharmaceuticals, human physiology, biology, Earth observation, fluid physics and astronomy. It will be permanently docked to the ISS, operating for at least 15 years

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Satellite Engine
Integration of engines on a telecommunication satellite by EADS Astrium

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ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) is be used for the international space station as supply ship and transport up to 9 tons food, scientific useful load and fuel. Moreover, the space transporter ensures that the station is re-boosted for correction of its orbit, i.e. for balancing the regular height losses. At the end of its mission the ATV takes up waste an material that is not required any more by the station and burns it up in the atmosphere with proper check. The precise rendezvous manoeuvre between Jules Verne and the ISS takes place automatically with the help of a video meter (first ever automatic optical system used for satellite navigation), while both satellites circle Earth with a speed of 28,000 km/h.

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Metop satellite
The weather satellite Metop provides data for medium-term weather forecasts and long-term climate and environmental research. MetOp-A, the first member of a new family of three European satellites designed to monitor the atmosphere from Low Earth Orbit, was launched from Kazakhstan on 19 October 2006. The next two MetOp satellites will be launched at five-year intervals. In total, the programme will be operational for at least 14 years, each satellite having an expected lifetime of five years.

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Solar panels

solar panels provide the energy for instruments of the satellites. A solar panel wing reachs up to 24 m length and can provide up to 32 kW. Here at EADS Astrium.

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Upper Stage of Ariane 5

Ariane 5 Upper Stage or Third Stage EPS. EADS Astrium is responsible for the development, integration and launch preparation of the complete third stage EPS in the Ariane-5 program including the third stage Aestus thrusters. Filled with up to ten tons of liquid fuel EPS can be ignited twice in order to position a further payload at another location.

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Virtual Reality Simulation

Simulation of as cockpit of a Tornado - Virtual Reality

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CATS - Cabin Air Test System

Cabin Air Quality and air purification are essential for present and future cabin comfort. The performance of cabin air purification systems are tested by the CAT System, which has been uniquely designed by EADS engineers, based on their expertise in Chemical Process Engineering. The CAT System is specially built to handle high air flow rates and multi-component VOC mixtures at low concentrations.

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