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May 2008 - Thales Alenia Space ETCA to supply electrical cores for 48 satellites
Thales Alenia Space ETCA is to supply the electrical cores (power conditioning & distribution units - PCDUs) for the 48 satellites of the forthcoming Globalstar 2nd generation constellation. For the Belgian subsidiary of Thales Alenia Space, this is the second largest order ever in terms of the number of satellites to be equipped. 
 

April 30, 2008 - Thales Alenia Space delivers Jason-2 satellite
The Jason-2 satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space, left its integration centre in Cannes for its launch site. The satellite is slated for a June 15 launch from the Vandenberg Air Force Base (California, USA) by a Delta II rocket. Designed to study the Earth's oceans and climate, Jason-2 will take over from its predecessor, Jason-1, which has already been in orbit for seven years and is still operational. Jason-2 will provide an opportunity for the launch of new services, including maritime forecasts for ships, and coupling of this data with weather forecasts.

Thales Alenia Space ETCA has built the control and power supply (PSU) electronics for the Poseidon 3 radar altimeter.
 

April 25, 2008 - Launch: GIOVE-B
GIOVE-B, the second experimental satellite part of the Galileo constellation, is ready to begin its journey from the spaceport of Baikonur, in Kazakhstan. The satellite is schedule for launch by a Starsem Soyuz/Fregat launch vehicle at 04:16:02 local time on April 27. GIOVE-B (Galileo In Orbit Validation Element) will verify the most critical technologies of the European satellite navigation system Galileo.

In Belgium, Thales Alenia Space ETCA supplied two power distribution units (PDUs) and power conditioning equipment (PCE) that distribute the electrical power from the two sources on board the satellites, namely the photovoltaic solar panels and the batteries (during a solar eclipse) and also manage the storage of surplus power from the solar panels in the satellites' batteries. Thales Alenia Space Antwerp supplied the test benches used to check the performance of the Giove-B navigation signal before launch.

April 21, 2008 - New successful launch: Star One C2
Star One C2, the second of the "C-series" telecommunication satellites, designed and built by Thales Alenia Space, has been launched by an Ariane 5 ECA rocket on April 18th. Star One C2 is dedicated to the Brazilian satellite operator Star One, owned by Embratel (80%) and GE International Holdings (20%).

Thales Alenia Space ETCA, has built the power-conditioning unit (PCU) for the STAR ONE C2 satellite telecommunications platform. The company has also designed and built 49 EPCs and integrated them with the travelling wave tubes (TWTs). The EPCs, together with the travelling wave tubes, amplify the signals that the satellite's transmitters send to Earth.

As the main supplier of onboard electronics for Ariane 5, Thales Alenia Space ETCA also supplied power supply and control equipment, totalling 21 electronic modules. Its 20 staff permanently based at the European Space Centre in Kourou were also on duty during the launch operations.

April 14, 2008 - A euro 305 million contract for the Sentinel-3 satellite
Thales Alenia Space has signed a 305 million euro contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to supply the Sentinel-3 Earth observation satellite for the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) program. This contract covers the first satellite in the Sentinel-3 mission, dedicated to oceanography and monitoring of land vegetation.

The Belgian subsidiary of Thales Alenia Space, Thales Alenia Space ETCA, has signed an ATP (Authorization to Proceed) with Thales Alenia Space to design and build the power supply (PSU) electronics for the SRAL radar altimeter.

April 2008 - Thales Alenia Space ETCA sponsors the Belgian Robotics Cup 2008
Thales Alenia Space ETCA is supporting the Belgian Robotics Cup to be held at the Science Adventure Park (PASS) in Mons on 5 and 6 April 2008. It is a unique opportunity for young people fascinated by technology to express their creativity and test their knowledge and real-time adaptation skills. Passion, creativity, proactivity, performance, ... these are also the watchwords of the 250 Thales Alenia Space ETCA engineers who - day-in, day-out - are developing advanced technology for the space and telecoms industries.
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March 7, 2008 - Thales Alenia Space, a major contributor to the ATV Jules Verne vehicle
Thales Alenia Space is proud to announce that it has significantly contributed to the development and manufacturing of the European Space Agency's ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle), for the prime contractor Astrium Space Transportation. ATV, which is scheduled for launch from Kourou, French Guiana, on March 9 by a special version of the Ariane 5 launcher, will deliver experiments, equipment and spare parts, as well as food, air and water to the ISS' permanent crew.

The Mont-sur-Marchienne site of Thales Alenia Space, Thales Alenia Space ETCA, supplied a four-unit PCU. This equipment supplies power to certain units of the ATV. Orders have also been received to supply the PCUs for the next four ATVs. Thales Alenia Space ETCA has also built the power supply for the videometer that enables the Jules Verne ATV to dock with the International Space Station.
The Thales Alenia Space site at Hoboken, Thales Alenia Space Antwerp, has built testing systems that helped to integrate the ATV and formed part of a control environment built by the CNES for operational support to the ATV missions.

February 8, 2008 - The European Laboratory Columbus is in-orbit: A new success for Thales Alenia Space
ESA's Columbus laboratory, developed with Thales Alenia Space as main contributor, has been successfully launched yesterday from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida (USA) to the International Space Station (ISS). The Shuttle Atlantis lifted off at 20:45 CET and entered into orbit perfectly. It will dock to the ISS after a 2-day journey.

Thales Alenia Space Antwerp was the main subcontractor for the EGSE (Electrical Ground Support Equipment) test bench used to carry out all the environment tests on the Columbus module.

January 2008 - New space contract
Last June, Thales Alenia Space signed a contract with the Russian satellite builder NPO-PM. The purpose of the contract is to supply the equipment for the two repeaters* that will be built into the telecommunications satellites Loutch-5A and Loutch-5B for the Russian Space Agency.

Thales Alenia Space ETCA has been selected to supply the EPCs, the equipment that is to supply power to the transmitters of the Russian satellites Loutch-5A and 5B.

These satellites will provide communications, television and data links between the space station and Earth. They will also be used as communications relays with the Russian satellites in low orbit and the Russian launchers.
Loutch -5A and Loutch -5B will have a life of around ten years. These satellites will be launched in 2009 and 2010.

* electronic equipment for amplifying digital signals.