Industrial Team
ESA's prime contractor for Herschel was Thales Alenia Space (Cannes, France), which led a consortium of industrial partners with Astrium (Friedrichshafen, Germany) responsible for the payload module, and the Thales Alenia Space industry branch (Turin, Italy) responsible for the service module. Astrium (Toulouse, France) provided the telescope. There was also more than 100 subcontractors spread throughout Europe.
Below is a list of the industrial team that built the Herschel spacecraft, arranged by country and company name.
Map of industry involvement in Herschel. Credit: ESA |
Austria |
Austrian Aerospace |
Attitude Control Computer - Input/output boards and test equipment |
Service Module - Mechanical Ground Support Equipment |
|
Thermal Control - Multi Layer Insulation |
|
Cryostat - Cover, Test Cavity |
|
Cryostat - Multi Layer Insulation |
|
Siemens Austria |
Central Check-Out System - Software |
Power & Telemetry Special Check-out Equipment |
Belgium |
Alcatel Bell |
Cryogenics Special Check-out Equipment |
Alcatel ETCA |
Power Conditioning & Distribution Unit |
Euro Heat Pipes |
Service Module - Heat Pipes |
Nexans |
Service Module - Harness |
OIP |
Video Monitoring Camera |
RHEA |
Mission Operations Information System |
Denmark |
Danish Scientific Institute |
Thermal Shields - Mechanical tests |
Terma DK |
Attitude Control and Measurement System - Application Software |
Software Validation Facility |
|
Central Check-out System - Testing and Integration Support |
|
Payload Module - Assembly, Integration and Testing - Technical support |
|
Ticra |
Radio Frequency Expertise |
Finland |
Apollo |
Solar Array - Brackets |
Huurre Group Oy |
Thermal Shields - Clean room for assembly |
Japrotek Oy |
Helium Tanks - Test cryostat vessel with equipment |
Opteon Oy |
Telescope - lapsing and polishing of primary mirror |
Patria |
Cryostat Control Unit |
Powemec Oy |
Thermal Shields - Welding Machinery |
Space Software Finland |
Central Data Management Unit - Application Software |
VTT |
Radio Frequency Suitcase |
France |
Air Liquide |
Cryostat Vacuum Vessel - Welding |
Helium Tanks |
|
Herschel Optical Bench Assembly - Thermal Links |
|
System Tubing |
|
Thermal Shields |
|
Alcatel Space |
Herschel / Planck Mission - Prime Contractor |
Aubert Duval - Fortech |
Reaction Control System - Hydrazine Tanks Shell Forgings |
Boostec Industries |
Telescope Reflectors and Hexapod - Silicon carbide component manufacture |
EADS Astrium SAS |
Telescope |
European Test Services ETS |
Service Module - Environmental Tests |
Payload Module - Testing |
|
Mecachrome |
Reaction Control System - Hydrazine Tanks - Shell machining |
Thales Electron Devices |
Travelling Wave Tube Assembly - Travelling Wave Tube |
Germany |
BOC Edwards |
Cryogenic Vacuum Support Equipment - Refurbishment |
Cryovac |
Cryogenic Components - Test Cryostat |
EADS Astrium (Friedrichshafen) |
Cryo Harness - External harness |
Extended Payload Module - Prime Contractor |
|
EADS Eurocopter |
Tank Support System - Straps |
EADS Space Transportation (Lampoldshausen) |
Reaction Control System |
EADS Space Transportation (Ottobrun) |
Tank Support System - Strap pre-tensioning device manufacture |
ISO Qualification Model tubing modification |
|
Liquid Helium Valves |
|
EADS Space Transportation (Trauen) |
Reaction Control System - Hydrazine tanks diaphragm material testing |
European Test Services ETS |
Service Module - Environmental Tests |
Payload Module - Testing |
|
IABG |
Solar Array - Photovoltaic Assembly Testing |
Kayser Threde |
Mass and Thermal Dummies for Cold Components - Sensors |
Service Module - Harness - Test and avionics model |
|
Linde |
Helium System Components |
Phoenix |
Cryostat Components - Inner Safety Valves |
Rembe |
Cryostat Components - Rupture Disks |
RWE Space Solar Power |
Solar Array - Photovoltaic Assembly Cells |
Stoehr |
Cryostat Components - Vacuum Port Safety Valves |
Teldix |
Attitude Control and Measurement System - Reaction Wheel Subsystem |
Terma |
Central Check-out System - Technical Support |
Vitrociset |
Central Check-out System : Software |
Zeiss |
Telescope - polishing of secondary mirror |
Ireland |
Captec |
Independent Software Validation & Verification |
McGuinley |
Product Assurance Support |
System International |
Service Module - Engineering Support |
Italy |
Alenia Spazio |
Service Module - Prime Contractor |
Galileo Avionica |
Solar Array - Photovoltaic Assembly |
Laben |
Attitude Control and Measurement System - Coarse Rate Sensor |
Officine Galileo |
Attitude Control and Measurement System - Star Tracker |
Top Rel |
Parts Procurement Co-agent |
Vitrociset |
Central Check-out System - Software |
Norway |
Kongsberg |
Solar Array - Substrates |
Prototech |
Mass & Thermal Dummies for Warm Components |
Mass and Thermal Dummies for Cold Components |
Netherlands |
Dutch Space |
Attitude Control and Measurement System |
Solar Array |
|
Lamers High Tech Systems |
Herschel System Tubing |
Satellite Services |
Payload Module EGSE - Central Data Management Unit Special Check-out Equipment |
Power and Telemetry Special Check-out Equipment - Data front end |
|
Terma |
Central Check-out System |
TNO / TPD |
Attitude Anomaly Detector |
Portugal |
Almeida & Silva |
Spacecraft Mechanical Ground Support Equipment - Materials & dummies |
Altrantec |
Thermal Analysis Support |
Certitasa |
Spacecraft Mechanical Ground Support Equipment - Materials |
Skysoft |
Project Office Support |
Tegopi |
Spacecraft Mechanical Ground Support Equipment - Materials |
Spain |
Alcatel Espacio |
Radio Frequency Distribution Network |
Calar Alto Observatory |
Telescope - coating of both mirrors |
Crisa |
DC/DC converter for the X-Band transponder |
EADS CASA |
Service Module Shield |
Service Module - Structures |
|
Cryostat - Electrical harness |
|
GMV |
System Database |
INTA |
Satellite Radio Frequency Mock-up and Test - Technical support |
MASA |
Helium Tanks - Intermediate bulkhead machining & welding, mock-up machining |
Media Consultores |
Helium Tanks - Analysis support |
Thermal Shields - Studies and analysis |
|
RYMSA |
Low Gain Antenna (LGA) |
Spacecraft Radio Frequency Mock-up and Test |
|
Payload Module - Waveguides |
|
Sener |
Attitude Control and Measurement System |
Optical Bench Assembly | |
Tecnologica |
Parts Procurement Agent |
Sweden |
Saab Ericson Space |
Attitude Control Computer - Central data management unit and basic software |
Switzerland |
APCO |
Cryostat - Vacuum Vessel |
Helium Two Tank - Containers and Nastran models |
|
Mass and thermal dummies for cold components |
|
Payload Module - Mechanical Ground Support Equipment refurbishment |
|
Spacecraft - Mechanical Ground Support Equipment |
|
Bieri |
Qualification Model Tank |
HTS |
Payload Module - Spatial Framework |
United Kingdom |
AEA Technology |
Batteries |
Analyticon |
Attitude Control Management System - Simulations |
BOC Edwards |
Cryogenic Vacuum Support Equipment - Refurbishment |
Datasat |
Electrical Engineering Support |
MT Satellite Products |
Reaction Control System - Hydrazine Tanks |
Queen Mary College |
Optical Windows |
System International |
Service Module - Engineering Support |
United States |
Ametek |
Reaction Control System - Latch Valves |
Moog |
Reaction Control System - Pressure Transducer |
Northrop Grumman |
Attitude Control Management System - Gyroscope |
PSI |
Reaction Control System - Hydrazine Tanks Diaphragms |
Tayco |
Reaction Control System - Flow Control Valves |
Vacco |
Reaction Control System - Filters |