Thales Alenia Space and SwRI Sign MOU to Cooperate on Stratobus Development
Cannes, July 9th, 2018 - Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), a major player in the market for satellites, scientific spacecraft and orbital infrastructures as well as the developer of the StratobusTM airship, and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), an internationally recognized research and development provider, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate in the development of StratobusTM.
As Thales Alenia Space continues to move forward with the design and development of its high-altitude platform station (HAPS) StratobusTM, SwRI will support Thales Alenia Space with technical advice and assistance based on SwRI’s considerable experience with lighter-than-air technologies.
Guy Boullenger, VP StratobusTM development at Thales Alenia Space said, “I am delighted that SwRI will be cooperating with the StratobusTM team. Their expertise, gained during their long history of building and operating balloons and airships, will be of significant value to our efforts in reaching our goals for StratobusTM”.
Thales Alenia Space and SwRI have established a Joint Working Committee (JWC) to manage their cooperative activities as the StratobusTM project moves forward.
About Stratobus
Thales Alenia Space’s famous StratobusTM program is a perfect complement to satellite systems. StratobusTM offers the advantage of carrying out its missions without needing an expensive launch vehicle. For instance, it could provide a permanent surveillance solution over a predefined regional coverage zone, to meet the needs of security and defense organizations.
About Thales Alenia Space
Combining 40 years of experience and a unique diversity of expertise, talents and cultures, Thales Alenia Space architects design and deliver high technology solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments, institutions and companies rely on Thales Alenia Space to design, operate and deliver satellite-based systems that help them position and connect anyone or anything, everywhere, help observe our planet, help optimize the use of our planet's – and our solar system’s – resources. Thales Alenia Space believes in space as humankind’s new horizon, which will enable to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (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 posted consolidated revenues of about 2.6 billion euros in 2017 and has 7,980 employees in nine countries. www.thalesaleniaspace.com
Thales Alenia Space – Press Contacts:
Sandrine Bielecki
Phone: +33 (0)4 92 92 70 94
sandrine.bielecki@thalesaleniaspace.com
Chrystelle Dugimont
Phone: +33 (0)4 92 92 74 06
chrystelle.dugimont@thalesaleniaspace.com
CinziaMarcanio
Tel: +39 06 41512685
cinzia.marcanio@thalesaleniaspace.com