DGAP-News: OHB AG / Key word(s): Incoming Orders
OHB AG: OHB Sweden wins AOCS and Chemical Propulsion System contracts
for Solar Orbiter
15.11.2012 / 10:59
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Solna, November 15, 2012 - OHB Sweden, a subsidiary of the European space
and technology group OHB, has been selected by Astrium as contractor for
the Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) and the Chemical Propulsion
System (CPS) for the Solar Orbiter mission that will perform close-up
observations of the Sun. With these contracts, OHB Sweden builds on its
experience in delivering advanced satellites and subsystems to innovative
and spectacular space missions. Both contracts have a total volume of EUR
34,4 million.
Solar Orbiter is the first mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to
start its implementation phase and is scheduled for launch in 2017. The
mission lifetime will be 7 years. Solar Orbiter will study the Sun in
detail and its effects on the solar system. The spacecraft will carry a
suite of complementary instruments that will measure the particles, fields
and waves of the plasma through which it travels, and at the same time make
observations of the Sun's surface and outer atmosphere, the photosphere and
corona.
At its closest point Solar Orbiter will be closer to the Sun than the
planet Mercury, at a distance of 0.28 Astronomical Units (42 million
kilometres), in an orbit that takes it out of the ecliptic plane. It will
be one of the closest approaches of the Sun by any spacecraft. At its
closest approach, where sunlight is thirteen times more intense than it is
for satellites orbiting the Earth, Solar Orbiter must survive intense
thermal radiation. To achieve this, the design includes a heat shield and
incorporates new high-temperature solar array technology.
To position itself in this challenging orbit, Solar Orbiter will make a
complex series of gravitational-assist fly-bys past both Earth and Venus.
The completion of these manoeuvres will require a very advanced and highly
autonomous AOCS and a Chemical Propulsion System. From this orbit, it can
perform long-duration observations of the same region of the Sun's surface,
and have visibility of the Sun's polar regions.
The AOCS provides all the functionalities required to control the
spacecraft attitude and rates, and to perform orbit correction manoeuvres
during all phases of the mission. The system consists of a dedicated set of
sensors (Star Tracker, Inertial Measurement Unit, Fine Sun Sensor), and a
dedicated set of actuators (Reaction Wheels).
The Solar Orbiter Chemical Propulsion System will provide the required
delta-V for the interplanetary orbit corrections and the attitude control
required by AOCS. The design is that of a conventional bi-propellant
chemical propulsion system.
'Going to the Moon with SMART-1 was for us a thrilling challenge! We now
take the next step, the Sun, and again we get the opportunity to show our
competence and ability to build demanding space systems at the edge of
technology', says Gierth Olsson, Managing Director of OHB Sweden.
The AOCS department head at OHB Sweden, Dr. Per Bodin, comments: 'We are
proud to participate in the Solar Orbiter mission by providing one of the
most critical subsystems. This great confidence confirms the solid
expertise and experience within our department.'
The Propulsion department head at OHB Sweden, Alain Demairé, comments:
'This is the first CPS made in Sweden and allows complementing our solid
expertise and experience of Electric propulsion with one of the most
efficient conventional technologies. It is an opportunity for our company
and we look forward to cooperating with the very knowledgeable Astrium team
who pioneered this technology in Europe.'
The Sun is vital for life on Earth, but can also cause major problems for
satellites and Earth based systems. The Sun releases bursts of high-energy
particles (Coronal Mass Ejections), which can disrupt electrical power
distribution systems, cause computers to crash, damage satellites and
endanger astronauts. Solar Orbiter will provide scientific data to better
understand the mechanisms on the Sun that cause these violent and
disruptive outbursts.
Solar Orbiter is a collaboration between ESA and NASA - a launcher will be
provided by NASA and one instrument and one sensor will be contributed from
the United States.
Contact information
OHB Sweden:
Bengt Larsson,
VP Business Development
Tel.: +46 - 8 627 62 33
Mobile: +46 - 70 575 03 02
Email: bengt.larsson@ohb-sweden.se
Web site: www.ohb-sweden.se
End of Corporate News
---------------------------------------------------------------------
15.11.2012 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Language: English
Company: OHB AG
Karl-Ferdinand-Braun-Str. 8
28359 Bremen
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)421 2020 8
Fax: +49 (0)421 2020 613
E-mail: ir@ohb.de
Internet: www.ohb.de
ISIN: DE0005936124
WKN: 593612
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard);
Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München,
Stuttgart
End of News DGAP News-Service
---------------------------------------------------------------------
193388 15.11.2012
DGAP-News: OHB AG: OHB Sweden wins AOCS and Chemical Propulsion System contracts for Solar Orbiter
| Source: EQS Group AG