Arianespace and ESA sign agreement on launch service procurement

 

Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, and Antonio Fabrizi, Director of Launchers for the European Space Agency (ESA), signed a framework contract at the Paris Air Show today concerning the procurement of launch services for future ESA missions.  

The agreement has two main objectives: to define the conditions under which ESA procures launch services for its missions; and to facilitate European preference, in line with the launch service procurement policy decided by the ESA Council at ministerial level. 

The contract concerns the European launcher family, Ariane, Vega and Soyuz, operated by Arianespace from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, and could be extended to encompass all European governmental missions. Based on this agreement, ESA will be in charge of supporting the preference policy in relations with European institutions.  

Following the contract signing ceremony, Jean-Yves Le Gall said: “This framework contract is a milestone for the European space sector. It confirms that Arianespace guarantees independent access to space for Europe, fully meeting the needs of the public and private space sector.”