EADS' success in space

Our Corporate Bureau
15 September 2003

Following the commencement of the Galileo programme, Eutelsat has confirmed with EADS Astrium to build their Hot Bird satellite. In spite of being in a tough business environment, EADS has been fast accelerating its rate of progress in the space market, and this contract will add more impetus to its efforts.

EADS CEOs Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich have both expressed their appreciation and pride at EADS Astrium's selection as the supplier of the Hot Bird satellite and have expressed their confidence in its abilities to do a competent job: "We are extremely proud of this new demonstration of Eutelsat''s confidence in the group. We shall apply the full gamut of our expertise in the production of this new generation spacecraft, which will serve to further emphasise EADS''s leading position in this domain."

They also emphasised: "This contract confirms EADS's growth potential in the space sector, and will involve all EADS Astrium production sites. Coming at a time when our space business is on the upturn, the new order highlights the validity of the strategic options adopted by us. Our efforts should enable us to return to a balanced financial position for our space activities in 2004."

EADS, with a sprawling workforce of more than 100,000 workers, is the second-largest aerospace and defence company in the world. Being one of the world''s best system integrators, EADS has the distinction of combining various products and technologies to form complete systems along with its supplies of associated services.

The EADS group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world''s largest helicopter supplier, Eurocopter, and the MBDA joint venture, which is the second-largest missile producer in the global market. It is a major partner in the Eurofighter consortium and the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher.

EADS develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest industrial partner for Galileo, the European satellite navigation system. EADS, which has a presence in Russia, the US and Asia, also has more than 70 sites all over the world, from France and Germany to the UK and Spain.