OHB Italia SpA HOME PROFILE MISSION CAREERS CONTACTS ABOUT US OHB Italia SpA provides the user community with solutions to lower the cost of first class science and application missions by: Exploiting the full potential of small and medium size satellites. Exploiting new orbital and transportation systems. Exploiting advanced technologies that are turned into high performance products for space applications. Management conditions Download Management conditions PRESS OHB Italia at the International Astronautical Congress in Australia, September 25-29, 2017 From September 25th to 29th, 2017, OHB Italia is participating to the IAC (International Astronautical Congress), at Adelaide in Australia. This event takes place one time of the year and gathers all space actors. Global, multidisciplinary and covering all space sectors and topics, it offers the latest space information, developments but above all contacts and potential partnerships. Successful launch of OPTSAT-3000 satellite August 1st, 2017 - OHB Italia providing launch services On August 1st, at 10.58 pm local time in French Guiana, the Earth Observation satellite OPTSAT-3000 was launched on board the VEGA flight VV10 from Kourou, French Guiana. OPTSAT-3000 is an Earth observation program for the Italian Ministry of Defence. It comprises a high-resolution optical satellite and a ground segment for in-orbit control, mission planning and the acquisition and processing of images. OPTSAT-3000 will allow national defence entities to acquire and use high-resolution images from any part of the globe. The OPTSAT-3000 system will be interoperable with Italy’s second –generation COSMO-SkyMed radar satellites. This will give the Italian Defence Ministry access to state-of-the-art technology, and ensure maximum operational capabilities because of the combined optical and radar data offered by the two systems. The OPTSAT-3000 system was provided by the Prime Contractor Telespazio while the satellite and ground control systems were built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), chosen by the Italian Ministry of Defence. OHB Italia was responsible for the launch contract and all the associated engineering activities. OHB Press Release Mission successfully completed for LISA Pathfinder – July 2017 On July 18th, 2017, LISA Pathfinder's mission has come to completion, successfully demonstrating ESA key technologies to look at gravitational waves and showing the possibility of a new approach for astronomy. Launched on December 3rd 2015, LISA Pathfinder, a mission of the European Space Agency, involving European space companies and research institutes from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US space agency NASA, started its science mission in March 2016, shortly after the announcement of the first direct detection of gravitational waves. In the frame of this mission, OHB Italia played a significant role starting from the initial technology development phases, back in 2001, which were carried out within the framework of ESA’s Technology Research Program (TRP) and culminated in November 2014 with the delivery of the inertial sensors. The inertial sensor successfully developed by OHB Italia, constitutes the heart of the high-precision metrology required for the observatory. It is the most sensitive inertial sensor ever manufactured enabling the detection and measurement of the extremely small movements induced by a passing gravitational wave. Furthermore, OHB Italia has subsequently provided a significant support to ESA instrument operations. On July 18th, a last command has been sent to conclude LISA Pathfinder's pioneering mission. The door is now open for future missions and ESA's Science Programme Committee selected the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), a space-based observatory of gravitational waves consisting of a constellation of three spacecraft, with launch planned for 2034. Signature of the launch contract for PRISMA Satellite, Le Bourget, June 19th, 2017 OHB Italia Spa and Arianespace announced the signature of the launch contract for the Italian Space Agency’s PRISMA (PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa) satellite. The launch will be carried out by a Vega rocket in 2018 from the Guiana Space Center, within the scope of a contract signed by OHB Italia Spa on behalf of the Italian Space Agency ASI. PRISMA is an Earth observation satellite fitted with an innovative electro-optical instrument, combining a hyperspectral sensor with a medium-resolution panchromatic camera. This type of combined instrument offers the advantages of conventional observation, based on the recognition of the geometric characteristics of a scene, coupled with the ability to determine the chemical and physical characteristics of the objects present in the scene, using the hyperspectral sensors. The scientific community and other users will be able to employ these capabilities for a number of applications, including environmental monitoring, resources management, identification and classification of crops, the fight against pollution, etc. Other applications are also possible, including homeland security. Built by OHB Italia on a dedicated platform hosting the Payload supplied by Leonardo Airborne and Space Systems, the PRISMA satellite will be placed into a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 615 kilometers. It will weigh approximately 900 kilograms at launch. The Vega launch vehicle, in which Italy is playing a leading role, has been selected for PRISMA mission by the Italian Space Agency ASI. Visit OHB Italia at next Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, June 19-25 OHB Italia will be participating as an exhibitor at the International Air Show in Paris Le Bourget from June 19th through 25th. Visit our booth in Hall 2C, Booth C 318. OHB Italia at Pasadena Space Tech Expo, May 23-25, 2017 From May 23rd to 25th, 2017, OHB Italia is participating to the Space Tech Expo and Conference held at Pasadena, California, USA. This event is America’s engineering and manufacturing meeting place for space technology. OHB Italia participating to the 33rd Space Symposium, Colorado Springs, April 3-6, 2017 From April 3rd to 6th, 2017, OHB Italia is participating to the Space Symposium held at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. This event is bringing t ogether space leaders from around the world to discuss, address and plan for the future of Space. This symposium is known as the most important space policy and program forum in the US. OHB Italia at PRISMA Workshop, 1-3 March 2017 From March 1st to 3rd, 2017, ASI Headquarters in Rome were hosting the workshop "PRISMA mission - hyperspectral national missions pioneer - data exploitation". During the event, OHB Italia, as leading company of the Italian industrial team for the PRISMA mission, gave a presentation to the scientific and industrial communities and to the users involved in remote sensing. In the frame of the PRISMA mission, planned to be launched mid-2018, OHB Italia is in charge of the system and satellite integration as well as the platform development. Hexapod, part of NASA SAGE III mission, was launched on February 19th, 2017 from Cape Canaveral. The SAGE III (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment-III) instrument, funded by NASA as part of the EOS (Earth Observing System) program, was successfully launched for installation on the International Space Station (ISS) on last February 19th, 2017. The instrument was launched on-board a SpaceX Falcon vehicle and DRAGON spacecraft from the NASA launch site of Cape Canaveral. The SAGE III instrument, whose goal is to provide global, long-term measurements of key components of the Earth’s atmosphere, includes the Hexapod Pointing System (HPS) developed by ESA with a major contribution from OHB Italia. The HPS has an essential role since it acts as the legs of the payload, which keep the instrument level in orbit. It includes the Hexapod Mechanical Assembly (HMA) and the Hexapod Electronics Unit (HEU). In this frame, OHB Italia was in charge of the design manufacturing and test of HMA and HEU. Farewell SOLAR - 15th February 2017 The SOLAR payload, installed on the International Space Station outside the European module Columbus, has been deactivated today, after nine years of successful mission, well beyond the planned operational life of three years. Launched on February 7th, 2008 aboard the Shuttle Atlantis (mission STS122E), together with the EuTEF payload (entirely developed, assembled and tested by OHB Italia), SOLAR was installed on Columbus by EVA and immediately activated on February 15th. It is composed of three instruments for solar observation, installed on a two-axis rotating platform for Sun pointing with compensation of changes of ISS attitude and relative angle between Sun and ISS orbital plane. In the frame of this mission, OHB Italia was responsible for the whole development cycle of the payload Control Unit (CU), from the preliminary design to the delivery of one Ground Model, one Proto-Flight Model and a spare Flight Model. OHB Italia at Smallsat Symposium, Sillicon Valley, 6-8th February 2017. OHB Italia was among the main Space operators participating at Smallsat Symposium, which took place from last February 6th to 8th, 2017 in Mountain View, Sillicon Valley, USA. Launch of SmallGEO satellite: a success also for OHB Italia - January 2017 On last January 2017, the first telecommunications satellite from the SmallGEO programme was successfully launched from Kourou, French Guyana. SmallGEO was developed, integrated and tested in Germany by OHB System AG which acted as Prime Contractor. OHB Italia, which is one of OHB European sister companies, was also involved in the successful development and realization of SmallGEO and will also contribute to future SmallGEO platforms. In the frame of this first satellite, OHB Italia developed the payload management unit and supported system engineering of the thermal control subsystem. For further information, please read OHB SE Press Release From January 1st, 2017, CGS SpA Compagnia Generale per lo Spazio is OHB Italia SpA. CGS signed the conversion contract for the realization of the MWI instrument for the European MetOp-SG weather satellites – August 2016 CGS SpA Compagnia Generale per lo Spazio, and Airbus Defence and Space GmbH have signed the contract for the realization of the MicroWave Imager (MWI) instrument for the MetOp Second Generation (SG) weather satellites. The contract follows a successful preliminary design activity, the selection of all subcontractors and the price conversion to firm fixed for the realization phase. Read more Angelo Vallerani, new President of the Lombardia Aerospace Cluster - July 2016 Angelo Vallerani has been elected new President of the Lombardia Aerospace Cluster for the 3-year period 2016-2018. This is a significant role for Mr. Vallerani since the main goal of the Cluster is to develop and promote the aerospace industry of Lombardy through the creation of a network of big and Medium companies. Mr. Vallerani is currently Head of Initiatives at CGS, which is a Founding Member of the Cluster since 2009. CGS at the Berlin Air Show - June 2016 CGS has participated as Exhibitor together with its Mother Company OHB SE, to the International Air Show of Berlin on last June. With its numerous innovations and advanced technology the ILA Berlin Air Show demonstrates the capabilities and achievements of all areas of the global aerospace industry. CGS awarded ESA Contract for NEO Survey Telescope - February 2016 CGS has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency for NEO Survey Telescope procurement, deployment and acceptance of full-scale integrated prototype. The overall objective of the work is to realize a prototype telescope with a full scale aperture on the basis of the design developed in the precursor activity relative to NEO Survey Telescope Detailed Design. The prototype telescope shall be fully integrated and will be eventually equipped with sixteen camera channel. The NEO network consists of four telescopes which will be subject of future procurement by the Agency. In this framework, CGS has been selected as the Prime Contractor and will therefore be in charge of performing all project management activities necessary to ensure the success of the project. ASTRO-H X-Ray Astronomy Satellite successfully launched - February 2016 ASTRO-H, the sixth of a series of X-ray observatory satellites developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was launched on Febr. 19th 2016 on board the Japanese H-IIA Launch Vehicle from the Tanegashima Space Center (Japan). ASTRO-H mission objective is the understanding of the structure and evolution of universe, including the explosion of stars, the origins of gigantic black holes in the centers of galaxies, and the nature of dark matter as a main component of our universe. The mission is a major international collaboration led by JAXA with over 70 contributing institutions in Japan, the US, Canada, and Europe. Major international partners include NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center as an important player in instruments development, Stanford University, SRON, Université de Genève, CEA/DSM/IRFU, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and European Space Agency (ESA), who contribute in critical areas of the hardware and software development. In 2011, CGS was awarded a contract with ESA to manage the detailed procurement activities for ESA hardware contributions to the ASTRO-H mission. In the 2011-2014 timeframe, CGS delivered several flight items including Loop Heat Pipes for the SXS cryostat, High Voltage Power Supplies for SGD, HXI and SXS instruments, high purity platinum and sputtering targets for Hard X-ray Telescope mirror coatings and scintillator crystals for anti-coincidence shields on high energy detectors HXI and SGD. LISA Pathfinder successfully launched - December 2015 LISA Pathfinder was successfully launched on December 3rd, 2015 on a Vega rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. LISA Pathfinder is a mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and involves European space companies and research institutes from France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US space agency NASA. ESA created this mission to develop and prove technologies that cannot be verified on the ground. LISA Pathfinder is a decisive step towards the realization of the first space observatory for gravitational waves which will reshape our understanding of the Universe. CGS played a significant role in this mission since in November 2014, the company delivered the inertial sensors of the LISA Pathfinder mission to ESA. The inertial sensors build the heart of the high-precision metrology required for the observatory. Archive Via Gallarate, 150 20151 Milano (MI) - ITALY - Tel. +39 02 380 481 - Fax. +39 02 3086458 - E-mail: cgs@cgspace.it