DGAP-News: OHB AG: MT Aerospace signs contracts for the development of the upper stage metallic tank of ARIANE 5 ME


DGAP-News: OHB AG / Key word(s): Incoming Orders
OHB AG: MT Aerospace signs contracts for the development of the upper
stage metallic tank of ARIANE 5 ME

25.06.2014 / 16:06

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MT Aerospace signs contracts for the development of the upper stage
metallic tank of ARIANE 5 ME

  - New tank design will hold twice the propellant mass compared to today's
    ARIANE 5 ECA

  - New manufacturing technologies to improve production efficiency

Augsburg, June 25, 2014. MT Aerospace AG, a subsidiary of the European
aerospace and technology group OHB AG, received two contracts from Airbus
Defence & Space, Prime Contractor of the A5ME launcher development
programme, and from the European Space Agency ESA with a total value of
62.8 MEUR for respectively the development and further qualification of the
metallic propellant tank of the new liquid upper stage of the ARIANE 5
Mid-life Evolution (A5 ME), and the related production facilities in
Augsburg and Bremen.

The A5 ME launcher will be the most powerful configuration of ARIANE 5 to
date with a payload capacity of at least 12 tons to geostationary orbit,
around 20% more than ARIANE 5 ECA (A5 ECA) today, and is on track to enter
into service mid-2018.

The new cryogenic tank will double the propellant capacity of the A5 ME
upper stage to 28 tons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. With a compact
2-compartment design the new tank features a common bulkhead design, which
will improve the dry mass ratio compared to the A5 ECA separate tank
configuration with a minimum increase in length. Manufacturing facilities
design accommodate some features enabling a future upgrade to the ARIANE 6
upper stage tank manufacturing needs that is presently design to preserve a
good level of commonality with A5 ME. "With A5 ME, we are proud to
introduce new manufacturing technologies to the ARIANE 5 program, such as
spin-forming and friction-stir welding, with which we raise the production
efficiency to a new improved level", said Hans J. Steininger, CEO of MT
Aerospace. The first flight unit is scheduled for delivery in spring 2016.

MT Aerospace is doing a very good job in managing this complex development
and keeping the program on schedule", said Pier Domenico Resta, ESA Program
Manager of the adapted A5 ME and Ariane 6 Upper Stage and Commonalities.
"The new manufacturing technologies, developed by MT Aerospace, will reduce
production steps and improve robustness of the production process". "This
gives sound basis and strong motivation to keep working on production cost
reduction in view of present challenges to competitiveness of the European
launcher's Ariane on the market" adds Catherine Poncheval, A5ME Launcher
Programme Manager within Airbus Defence & Space.


About MT Aerospace
MT AEROSPACE is an internationally renowned aerospace company with some 700
employees at locations in Augsburg, Mainz, Cagliari (Italy) and Kourou
(French Guiana). As member of the European space and technology group OHB
AG (Prime Standard, ISIN: DE0005936124) the company develops and produces
essential components for the European launching system ARIANE 5, for
satellites and other spacecraft as well as for the Airbus fleet. MT
Aerospace is the technology leader in light weight construction using metal
and composite materials and the largest supplier outside France to the
ARIANE program, currently providing 10% of the components for the launcher.

About Airbus Defence and Space 
Airbus Defence and Space is a division of Airbus Group formed by combining
the business activities of Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military. The new
division is Europe's number one defence and space enterprise, the second
largest space business worldwide and among the top ten global defence
enterprises. It employs some 40,000 employees generating revenues of
approximately EUR14 billion per year.

About ESA
The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's gateway to space. Its mission
is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that
investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe
and the world.  ESA is an international organisation with 20 Member States.
By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, it
can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single
European country.




Contact:
Investor Relations
Martina Lilienthal
Tel.: +49 421 - 2020-720
Fax: +49 421 - 2020-613
E-Mail: martina.lilienthal@ohb.de


Corporate Communications
Martin Stade
Tel.: +49 421 - 2020-620
Fax: +49 421 - 2020-9898
E-Mail: martin.stade@ohb.de


End of Corporate News

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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                                             
 
 
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