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20 June 2003

Arianespace and ELV sign collaboration agreement for Vega launcher
production and operation


At the Paris Air Show today, Silvano Casini, Chief Executive Officer
of ELV, and Jean-Yves Le Gall, Chief Executive Officer of
Arianespace, signed a collaboration agreement between their two
companies concerning Vega launcher production and operation at
Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Also on hand for the
signature was Jean-Jacques Dordain, future Director General of the
European Space Agency. 

Le Bourget, June 19, 2003 - ELV, as industrial prime contractor, will
be in charge of production of the launcher's components and
integration in French Guiana. As the launcher design authority, it
will also participate in final preparations and launch operations.

Arianespace is the Vega operator, and is in charge of the launch
services contract. At the Guiana Space Center, it will be responsible
for Vega launch facilities and integration of the upper segment and
satellite. It will also carry out final preparation and launch
operations. 

The organization for Vega launches is similar to that used for the
Ariane and Soyuz programs, to maximize the synergies between these
programs. 

Vega comprises three solid-propellant stages and a fourth stage with
a re-ignitable liquid-propellant engine. It is scheduled to start
operations in mid-2006. Primarily used for scientific and Earth
observation satellites, Vega will be able to boost 1,500 kg into
polar orbit at 700 kilometers. 


About ELV

Based in Colleferro, Italy, ELV is the industrial prime contractor
for the Vega program. Vega is a European Space Agency (ESA) program,
financed by Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands,
Switzerland and Sweden. Shareholders are FiatAvio (with 70%) and the
Italian space agency (30%). 


About Arianespace (www.arianespace.com)

Arianespace is the world's commercial launch services leader holding
more than 50 percent of the international market for satellites
launched to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). Created in 1980 as
the world's first commercial space transportation company,
Arianespace has signed 252 launch contracts and has launched more
than 210 satellite payloads. The company's headquarters is located in
Evry, near Paris and launch operations are performed from the
Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana (South America).

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