Amidst continuing moves to shore up the European space launch sector and fend off the challenge of SpaceX, European launch service provider Arianespace announced record sales of €1.433bn in 2015, an increase of 2.4% over the previous year. As in 2014, the company broke even, posting a small net profit (€4m). A total of 12 launches — also a record — were performed from the Guiana Space Center (CSG) in French Guiana (six by Ariane 5 and three each by Soyuz Vega), one more than in 2014 (six by Ariane 5, four by Soyuz and one by Vega).
The company said a key factor was the optimized scheduling of the three launch systems and shorter launch campaigns, both facilitated by the commissioning of the FCube facility at CSG. Arianespace remained at break-even in 2015, as in 2014, posting net income of €4 million.
Arianespace confirmed its leadership in the commercial launch services market in 2015 by signing contracts for Ariane 5 launches of 14 geostationary satellites. The company signed a total of 33 launch contracts during the year, worth €2.5bn, increasing its order backlog to €5.3bn.
Arianespace continued to apply the competitiveness plan launched in 2014, cutting annual costs for services provided by ground service firms at the Guiana Space Center by around 10%. This competitiveness improvement initiative is driven by a constant focus on greater efficiency, as well as the implementation, starting 1st April, of a new project management organization.
Because of these changes, plus the advent of the new Vega-C and Ariane 6 launchers, slated for first flights in 2019 and 2020, respectively, Arianespace is confident of maintaining its leading position in commercial launch services.
On the industrial side, 2015 marked the first full year since the creation of Airbus Safran Launchers, the joint venture between Airbus Group and Safran that acts as prime contractor for Ariane 5 and the future Ariane 6. ASL manages the entire industrial supply chain, from the manufacture of equipment and stages to the complete integration of the launcher in French Guiana. ASL holds a 39% stake in Arianespace and is currently waiting for a green light from Brussels to increase its holding to 74% by acquiring the shareholding of the French space agency CNES.