Kongsberg to supply key hardware for Ariane 6 launcher

Written by Copernical Team Sunday, 07 September 2025 06:47

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Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 07, 2025

Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace (KONGSBERG) has secured a contract with ArianeGroup to deliver critical hardware for Europe's Ariane 6 launch system. The agreement covers supply of Optical Safety Barriers (OSB) and Upper Part Attachment (UPPA) mechanisms over the next three years, strengthening Europe's strategic access to space. The new deal builds on a long-running partnership between th

Kongsberg to supply key hardware for Ariane 6 launcher
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Sep 07, 2025

Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace (KONGSBERG) has secured a contract with ArianeGroup to deliver critical hardware for Europe's Ariane 6 launch system. The agreement covers supply of Optical Safety Barriers (OSB) and Upper Part Attachment (UPPA) mechanisms over the next three years, strengthening Europe's strategic access to space.

The new deal builds on a long-running partnership between the Norwegian company and ArianeGroup, the Franco-German prime contractor behind Ariane 6. The launcher, which had its maiden flight in July 2024, has since flown two commercial missions in March and August 2025 and is now ramping up operations.

Ariane 6 has been designed for flexibility, offering modular payload capacities and adaptable configurations to serve both institutional and commercial customers. Its efficiency is intended to maximize mission versatility while keeping costs under control.

KONGSBERG began developing its contributions in 2016, with deliveries of OSB and UPPA units starting in 2021. To date, 15 complete flight sets have been supplied, and production will continue under the new agreement.

"This agreement is a testament to the engineering excellence and teamwork that define KONGSBERG," said Per-Erik Kristoffersen, Vice President Space and Surveillance at Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace.

"Ariane 6 is critical for Europe's independent access to space at a time when the number of satellites and space assets is growing rapidly, enabling deployment of vital services such as secure communications, earth observation, and weather forecasting."