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ARIANESPACE and EADS SPACE Transportation announce an order for 30 Ariane 5 launchers

ARIANESPACE and EADS SPACE Transportation today signed a letter concerning an order for the "PA batch" of 30 Ariane 5 launch vehicles.

Paris, 20 June 2003

At the 45th Paris Air Show, ARIANESPACE CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall and Josef Kind and Hervé Guillou, respectively President and CEO of EADS SPACE Transportation, signed an "order letter" to initiate production of the "PA batch" of 30 Ariane 5 launchers. This new commitment will allow ARIANESPACE to ensure its launch service continuity.

EADS SPACE Transportation's efforts to enhance productivity, which are reflected in this order and are backed by its European industry partners and ARIANESPACE, will improve the competitiveness of the Ariane launcher for the benefit of its clients.

This agreement officializes the new industrial tasking between the two companies, which was approved at the ESA ministerial-level meeting on May 27.

EADS SPACE Transportation is now the sole prime contractor for the Ariane 5 launcher. As a result, the company will manage the totality of contracts covering launch vehicle production, and is to deliver a standardized launcher to ARIANESPACE in French Guiana.

ARIANESPACE is in charge of the commercial launch service operation, and manages the production. The company will source the launcher from the prime contractor, adapt it to customer mission requirements, and carry out launch operations at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Press contacts:

EADS SPACE Transportation
Arianespace
France: +33.1.39.06.14.50
France: +33.1.60.87.63.07/60.15
Germany: +49.421.539.5710