Airbus has embarked on a cost-containment effort and a mid-term competitiveness plan as part of its effort to turn around its struggling space business.
Leonardo is talking to Airbus and Thales about linking their satellite manufacturing businesses, officials say—which could help the companies to deal with slow demand.
The ESA has awarded The Exploration Company and Thales Alenia Space separate contracts to continue work to develop low-Earth-orbit cargo return services.
Officially forming on March 12, Leonardo's space business becomes one of five business areas representing each of the warfighting domains: land, air, sea, cyber and space.
Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Thales Alenia Space can take part in the first phase of the tender for the UK’s Skynet Enduring Capability Wideband satcoms program.
Thales Alenia Space has won contracts to supply synthetic aperture radar and optical satellites for IRIDE, the hybrid Italian Earth observation constellation.
The European Commission has chosen Thales Alenia Space to lead the next phase of the European Robotic Orbital Support Services program, slated to culminate with an in-orbit demonstration in 2026 and potentially follow on with commercial missions.
Thales and Leonardo, plans to study potential military uses of the Stratobus as part of a contract issued by the French defense materiel agency, DGA, and announced on Jan. 8.