EADS N.V. - Over 200 years’ of successful operation for EADS Astrium’s Eurostar satellites

EADS Astrium’s Eurostar telecommunications satellites have notched up more than 200 years’ of successful combined operation in orbit since their introduction in 1990.

The Eurostar geostationary communications satellites, designed, developed and manufactured by EADS Astrium, have achieved a remarkable record of reliability in service with the world’s most prestigious operators.

A total of 26 Eurostar satellites have been successfully deployed in orbit, of which 24 are currently in commercial service. Two have been retired after having surpassed their mission lifetime. Seven of the satellites are beyond their design lifetime and still operating successfully.

The latest and most capable version, Eurostar E3000, made its successful debut in orbit in March 2004. To date, 11 E3000 spacecraft have been ordered and four are already in orbit – including the giant Inmarsat 4 F1 satellite launched from Cape Canaveral on 11 March 2005.

All Eurostar satellites are based on the same fundamental and proven architecture. EADS Astrium was the first satellite manufacturer to introduce fully digital electronics on commercial satellites with the initial Eurostar - launched in October 1990. Proven design features and equipments have been utilised on successive versions of Eurostar – offering assured reliability from 200 years of successful operation.

On the latest E3000 model, which retains key architecture of previous Eurostars, the structure and fuel tanks have been scaled up along with other equipment to extend capacity. Flexibility of design enables the communications module, built around the compact, four-tank service module, to be tailored to individual requirements and the electrical power capacity to be scalable for different mission ranges. Proven, standardized equipment and options add further flexibility to ensure a perfect match with individual customer requirements.

Antoine Bouvier, CEO of EADS Astrium, said: “200 years of successful operation is a fantastic achievement for the Eurostar series and a testimony to the skill and expertise of EADS Astrium’s staff, the soundness of our design solutions and the quality of our production process. I would like to thank all our customers for the confidence they have placed in Eurostar to provide satellite communications services throughout the world.”

EADS Astrium is Europe’s leading satellite system specialist. Its activities cover complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and equipment. EADS Astrium, wholly owned subsidiary of EADS SPACE, which is dedicated to providing civil and defense space systems. In 2004 EADS SPACE had a turnover of €2.6 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defense and related services. In 2004, EADS generated revenues of € 31.8 billion and employed a workforce of more than 110,000.