Volvo Aero wins major space contract

VOLVO AERO WINS MAJOR SPACE CONTRACT The Italian company FiatAvio and Volvo Aero have signed a contract covering the manufacture of LOX turbines for an additional four Vulcain 1 and 19 Vulcain 2 engines. Deliveries will begin during 2001 and are scheduled to be completed in 2003. Including this agreement, Volvo Aero has received orders for 17 nozzles and turbines for the Vulcain 1 engine and contracts covering development and manufacture of nozzles and LH2 and LOX turbines for the Vulcain 2 engine. The Vulcain engine powers the main stage of the Ariane 5 launch vehicle. The Ariane 5 was first launched in 1996 and is now commercially available. A heavy launcher version of the Ariane 5 will be launched during 2002 with an upgraded Vulcain 2 engine. The Vulcain 2 will increase the maximum lift of the Ariane 5, adding more than 800 kilograms of payload capacity to the launcher's geostationary transfer orbit. One of the areas in which Volvo Aero specializes is the development and manufacture of turbines for rocket engines. Experience gained from the turbines for the LH2 and LOX for all versions of the Vulcain has made it possible for Volvo Aero to become a "Center of Excellence" in Europe for turbines for rocket engines. Among other results, this experience facilitated a reduction in costs. Based on earlier technology, the new turbine would have been 30-35 percent more expensive than the turbine developed. June 16, 2001 For more information, please contact Björn Åstrand, head of Volvo Aero Space Propulsion Division, +46 705 690 451. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/06/16/20010615BIT00800/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/06/16/20010615BIT00800/bit0002.pdf