[Satellite Today 06-09-09] Thales Alenia Space ETCA signed a contract with Astrium to provide electronic equipment and services for the latest batch of Ariane 5 rockets, Thales announced June 8.
    Arianespace announced a contract with Astrium in February valued at more than 4 billion euros ($5.1 billion) for the production of 35 Ariane 5 ECA launchers. The vehicles, designated the PB batch, will be used beginning in 2011.
    Thales Alenia Space ETCA will design and manufacture 21 electronic modules for each of the 35 launchers of the PB batch. These modules will serve to distribute the electricity on board the launcher, guide it by controlling the position of the jet nozzles, transmit the stage separation orders for the launcher and the nose cone protecting the satellites and, finally, to give the self-destruct order for the launcher were it to go off course.
    Thales Alenia Space ETCA will also assume responsibility for manufacturing and for processing obsolescences of components for 2 electronic boards of the inertial guidance systems of Ariane 5. These boards make it possible to calculate in real time the position of the launcher and the evolution of its velocity.