Saab Ericsson Space in Gothenburg, Sweden, has signed a contract for production of guidance computers and telemetry antennas for the European heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 5.
We are happy that Arianespace are successful in the launcher business so that more of our reliable launcher guidance computers and our Telemetry antennas are needed, says Jan Persson, the Saab Ericsson Space Project Manager. Most space programs do not offer volume production. We benefit a lot from this even if prices in the Ariane program are under strong pressure, he adds.
Every Ariane launcher from the onset of the program has used Saab Ericsson Space guidance computers. In Ariane 5, every launcher carries two redundant computers that work side-by-side in case one of them should be subject to a non-correctible failure during flight.
Each of the computers has in addition both hardware and software fault tolerance built-in. Computer system fault tolerance is a core competence of the company, being continuously further developed in collaboration with the local technical university, Chalmers.
Saab Ericsson Space also manufactures antennas for transmission of launcher telemetry during flight. Most of the launches are served by two antennas but there are cases when four antennas are used if larger amounts of Telemetry are requested.
The total order value is in the order of 10 million Euros.
