EADS Astrium

EADS Astrium, a subsidiary of EADS, is a European space manufacturer involved in the manufacture of spacecraft used for science, Earth observation and telecommunication, as well as the equipment and subsystems used therein and related ground systems.

EADS Astrium employs around 6000 people on 9 sites in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain. (January 2004) The CEO of EADS Astrium is Antoine Bouvier.

Company history

Astrium was formed in 2000 from a merger between Matra Marconi Space (France, UK) the space division of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG and Computadores Redes e Ingenería SA. Hence Astrium was a joint EADS/BAE Systems.

On 16 June 2003 the minority shareholder, BAE Systems, sold its 25% share to European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, making EADS sole shareholder. Astrium became EADS Astrium and in a wider restructuring of EADS became the major constituent of EADS SPACE, which also includes EADS SPACE Transportation and EADS SPACE Services.

In this restructuring the former Astrium Space Infrastructure division merged with EADS Launchers & Vehicles division to form EADS SPACE Transportation. Also, Paradigm Secure Communications Ltd, initially created by Astrium in the frame of the Skynet 5 contract for the UK Ministry of Defence became the major constituent of EADS SPACE Services.

CASA Espacio became part of EADS Astrium on 1 January 2004. EADS Astrium is the sole shareholder of Infoterra Ltd.