Airbus Defence and Space is the division of Airbus Group responsible for defence and aerospace products and services. The Airbus Defence and Space business is organized around core activities based in four Business Units: Military Aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Communications Intelligence & Security and Space Systems, the latter of which is a global space industry leader with world-class expertise and extensive prime contractor experience across all sectors of the business. These Business Units are supported by five Central Functions: Operations, Marketing & Sales, Engineering, Digital Transformation Office, Sustainable change & Transformation.
Airbus Defence and Space activities in the project will be implemented by:
- Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Coordinator): The Space Exploration programme line in Bremen, Germany, organized under the Space Systems Business Unit with a strong background on robotics and leadership in on-orbit servicing activities. Airbus Defence and Space in Bremen is a specialized prime system integrator, with expertise in systems engineering, robotics and automation.
- Airbus Defence and Space SAS: In Toulouse, about 5000 people are working in all fields of space systems design, engineering, integration and manufacturing. This encompasses all facets of the space industry and includes Telecommunications, Earth observation, Exploration and Scientific missions together with their associated ground segment hardware and software.
- Airbus Defence and Space Ltd.: The Stevenage site comprises a workforce of 1,200 and is the UK Prime site for Earth Observation Navigation and Science (ENS) satellites including Exploration Missions and military satellites and services. It is a key provider of mechanical platforms for Telecoms and ENS; System Design Authority for Structure; Thermal; Propulsion subsystems and Centre of Competence (CoC) for Digital Processing, Telecoms and Antenna Systems, and highly relevant to this project, is also a CoC for Mechanisms.