ales Alenia Space signs contract for the final phases of the ExoMars program

17 June 2013

Le Bourget, June 17, 2013 Thales Alenia Space announced today at the Paris Air Show that it has signed the contract for the development of ExoMars. The contract was signed at the European Space Agency's pavilion, in a ceremony attended by the Agency's Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain, along with Enrico Saggese, President of the Italian space agency, the European leader of the Program, and Jean-Lo c Galle, CEO of Thales Alenia Space.

Following a preliminary contract signed in 2008, this marks a major milestone for Thales Alenia Space, program prime contractor. As part of the 643 million euros global budget committed to date, the contract has awarded Thales Alenia Space the additional portion, worth 146 million euros to complete the 2016 mission, and an additional tranche worth about 70 million euros to cover a significant part of the follow-up mission in 2018.

ExoMars is a co-operative program between the European Space Agency and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos as equal partners in the Program. In addition to equipment, scientific experiments and ground segment support, Roscosmos will contribute to the major element of the descent module for the 2018 mission and provide two Proton launches for the missions.

Thales Alenia Space Italia is the industrial prime contractor of the ExoMars Program. For the 2016 mission it is building the EDM (Entry Descent Module), a technology demonstrator for entry and descent on Mars, while the TGO (Trace Gas Orbiter) orbiting module will be built at Thales Alenia Space's site in Cannes.

For the 2018 mission, Thales Alenia Space Italia is in charge of developing the navigation and guidance system for the Carrier Module and Descent Module, as well as designing the Rover System and building an Analytical Laboratory, to be integrated on the Rover. The lab features a system designed to drill and collect samples from the Martian soil.

The perseverance and tenacity of the European and Italian Space Agencies gave guarantee and continuity to the work of the industrial team members and allowed the continuation of all activities intended to minimize the development risks inherent in such a new and complex mission , emphasized Elisio Giacomo Prette, President and CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italia. He added: We also would like to thank and warmly welcome as new partner the Russian Space Agency on-board this exciting adventure .

The 2016 mission is on track, with the system Critical Design Review expected by the end of the year. The EDM (Entry Descent Module) is completing structural tests at Thales Alenia Space's laboratories in Turin. Integration of the spacecraft flight model should begin by early 2014, with the launch slated for January 2016.

The 2018 mission is also proceeding, with the development of the Rover system, which includes the Rover vehicle and the Automatic Laboratory Drawer (ALD). Thales Alenia Spaces goal is to carry out a mission Preliminary Design Review by the spring of 2014, kicking off the final development phase in the second half of 2014. This mission is scheduled for launch in May 2018.

About Thales Alenia Space

The European leader in satellite systems and a major player in orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%). Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio embody the two groups' Space Alliance . Thales Alenia Space sets the global standard in solutions for space telecommunications, radar and optical Earth observation, defense and security, navigation and science. With consolidated revenues of 2.1 billion euros in 2012, Thales Alenia Space has 7,500 employees in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium and United States.

www.thalesaleniaspace.com

Thales Alenia Space Press Contacts:

Sandrine Bielecki - Tel: +33 (0)4 92 92 70 94

sandrine.bielecki@thalesaleniaspace.com

Tarik Lahlou - Tel: +33 (0)4 92 92 68 45

tarik.lahlou@thalesaleniaspace.com

Tiziana Ebano - Tel : +39 06 4151 2574

tiziana.ebano@thalesaleniaspace.com

LINK:	http://www.thalesgroup.com/Press_Releases/Markets/Space/2013/Thales_Al...
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