Arianespace

Infobox Company
name = Arianespace

type = Launch Service Provider
genre =
foundation = 1980
founder =
location_city = Évry, Essonne
location_country = France
location =
locations =
area_served =
key_people =
industry = Aerospace
products =
services =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
assets =
equity =
owner =
num_employees = 292 [citeweb|title=A launch for the International Space Station|url=http://www.arianespace.com/site/news/kit/ATV_JulesVerne_launchkit_GB.pdf|publisher="Arianespace"|accessdate=2008-04-06]
parent =
divisions =
subsid =
slogan =
homepage = http://www.arianespace.com
footnotes =
intl =

Arianespace SA is a French company and was founded in 1980. They undertake the production, operation and marketing of the Ariane 5 rocket launcher as part of the Ariane programme.citeweb|title= Arianespace was founded in 1980 as the world’s first launch services and solutions company.|url=http://www.arianespace.com/site/about/arianespace_today_sub_index.html|publisher=arianespace.com|accessdate=2008-03-07] It is the world's first commercial space transportation company. [citeweb|title=Ariane - The first commercial space transportation system|url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1986spte....2.1431J|publisher=adsabs.harvard.edu|accessdate=2008-03-07]

As of 2007 Arianespace held more than 50 percent of the world market for boosting satellites to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). More than 240 commercial launches have occurred since May 22, 1984, and Arianespace states that the total number of launch contracts signed since Ariane launches commenced operations in 1984 is 285. Arianespace uses the Centre Spatial Guyanais as a launch site. It has its headquarters in Évry, Essonne, France.

The Company and its infrastructure

Arianespace has 24 shareholders from 10 European countries, including: [citeweb|title=Arianespace shareholders represent scientific, technical, financial and political entities from 10 different European countries.|url=http://www.arianespace.com/site/about/shareholders_sub_index.html|publisher=arianespace.com|accessdate=2008-03-07]
*CNES (34%)
*EADS (30%)

As of 1 July 2006, Arianespace employed 271 personnel at its French HQ, at its launch complex at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana and at offices in Washington DC, Singapore and Tokyo.

Ariane launch vehicles

Since the first launch in 1979, there have been several versions of the Ariane launch vehicle:

*Ariane 1, first successful launch on December 24, 1979
* Ariane 2, first successful launch on November 20, 1987 "(the first launch on May 30, 1986 failed)"
* Ariane 3, first successful launch on August 4, 1984
*Ariane 4, first successful launch on June 15, 1988
*Ariane 5, first successful launch on October 30, 1997 "(the first launch on June 4, 1996 failed)".

ee also

*Europa rocket

References