Communication Solutions for Space Missions
Thales is convinced that space is humanity’s new horizon. It is where we are going to achieve progress that will make sustainable life on Earth possible. Space missions and global communication can be realised only with secure and fast data transmission. Technologies from Thales guarantee reliable television, radio and Internet reception.
Travelling wave tubes and amplifiers for them have been developed and produced in Ulm for over 50 years. Together with the sister factory in France, the location in Ulm is the global market leader in travelling wave tube amplifiers for space travel applications. Today, travelling wave tubes from Thales are utilised on board most satellites used for messages, television, terrestrial surveillance, navigation and scientific purposes.
Thales Deutschland has earned the trust of renowned customers around the world – including satellite manufacturers, space agencies and civil and military institutions – with high-quality products for use on board satellites for telecommunications and multimedia applications, as well as for military use in radar systems and missiles. In addition, the location at Ulm sells products from Thales including signal sources, imaging systems for applications in radiology or high-power klystrons (electron tubes) for fusion reactors and particle accelerators in Germany and Central Europe.
Propulsion technology for satellites
An additional technological highlight in Thales Deutschland’s Electron Devices business area is the HEMP-Triebwerk (high-efficiency multi-stage plasma thruster). HEMP-T is an ion thruster for position control and orbit transfer of satellites in which neutral atoms of an inert gas acting as fuel are ionised in a plasma discharge and then electrically accelerated. The low complexity and the compact and reliable design – and thus achievable fuel savings – result in significant cost savings compared to standard drive systems.
Trusting partnerships
Thales is a partner in the European satellite navigation programme Galileo and participates in applications, tests and validations that are relevant to security in this context. Furthermore, Thales works in close cooperation with the German Aerospace Center.
