Thales Alenia Space Belgium has signed a new contract with Sabca for the Ariane 6 launch vehicle which currently is being developed by the European Space Agency, the company announced on Tuesday. Sabca is responsible for the three nozzle actuation systems of the European launcher.
The contract concerns the development of steering electronics for the nozzle guidance system. It complements another contract already signed with ArianeGroup, the main contractor for Ariane 6 for the European Space Agency.
This new contract is good news for Thales Alenia Space Belgium and its Charleroi site, where it will secure employment and even allow the creation of some new jobs. The company employs over 800 people in Belgium at two sites (Charleroi and Leuven).
Thales Alenia Space has been part of the Ariane program for more than 40 years. The group posted consolidated revenues of about 2.4 billion euros in 2016 and has 7,980 employees in nine countries.
"The result of a winning collaboration between manufacturers in Belgium, this contract is also the result of the continuous support of our public authorities on both federal and regional levels," said the general manager of Thales Alenia Space in Belgium, Emmanuel Terrasse.
The Brussels Times
