The ExoMars space exploration program will continue, enabling Europe to land a rover on Mars in 2020. Carrying unprecedented scientific experiments, this spacecraft is a vital follow-on to the search for life on Mars, initiated by the TGO (Trace Gas Orbiter), already in orbit around Mars and operating perfectly.
Europe will also continue to participate in the operation of the International Space Station until 2024, and it will develop the Space Rider, both programs that are a key to future exploration missions.
Financing was approved for the EEOP (European Earth Observation Programme), enabling the development of new generations of Copernicus Sentinel satellites to ensure the data continuity that is indispensable for monitoring our planet’s climate.
Support for the ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) program is a crucial factor in developing new generations of telecommunications satellites and ensuring that Europe remains among the global leaders in terms of competitiveness, innovation, the development of new applications and job creation.
About Thales Alenia Space
Thales Alenia Space brings over 40 years of experience to the design, integration, testing and operation of innovative space systems for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo-Finmeccanica (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ “Space Alliance”, which offers a complete range of services and solutions. Thales Alenia Space has built up unrivaled expertise in dual (civil-military) missions, constellations, flexible high-throughput payloads, altimetry, meteorology, and high-resolution radar and optical observation, as well as space exploration. The company capitalizes on its strong legacy, while also making innovation a key to its strategy. By offering a continuous stream of new products and expanding its global footprint, Thales Alenia Space has established its leadership in today’s fast-evolving space sector. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues exceeding 2.1 billion euros in 2015 and has 7,500 employees in nine countries. www.thalesaleniaspace.com
Thales Alenia Space Press Contacts:
Sandrine Bielecki
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 92 70 94
sandrine.bielecki@thalesaleniaspace.com
Chrystelle Dugimont
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 92 74 06
chrystelle.dugimont@thalesaleniaspace.com