Space center of Cannes Mandelieu

The , called hereafter the Center , is an industrial plant dedicated to the realization of artificial satellite, located at horse on the communes of Cannes and Mandelieu (the Alpes-Maritimes).

After a beginning in the aircraft industry in 1929, the Center was implied more and more in the Astronautique after the Second world war. With the passing of years, it was devoted only to the space Industrie of which it became the principal activity.

Today, is one of the most important industrial sites of Thalès Alenia Space. In addition, it also shelters the Head office of it.

And, with its 1900 employees, it is the first industrial plant of the Alpes-Maritimes.

History

The history of the Center was indeed summarized in a collective work, carried out by the members of the personnel, in 1999. See its bibliographical reference at the end of the article: 80 years of passion, the site of Cannes of 1919 to 1999 . One finds of it also trace in Cannes-native works or Web sites.

Building sites air and sea Etienne Romano

April 1st, 1929 in aeronautics, Etienne Romano creates the Chantiers air and sea Etienne Romano (CAER), a factory of construction of Aéronef S, Avion S and Hydravion S, on the commune of Cannes. It will build tens of planes and seaplanes Romano for the Air force and the marine , to the War.

SNCASE

August 11th, 1936 in aeronautics, the Chantiers Romano are nationalized. Attached to the company Liore & Olivier , with Argenteuil (Val-d'Oise), and the Company Of Provence of aeronautical Engineering (SPCA), they becomes National company of the aeronautical engineerings of south-east (SNCASE) on February 1st, 1937 in aeronautics.

During the Second world war, the relative peace of the cannes plant attracts there great names of aviation but the departure for the North Africa of the SO.800, during its first flight to the hands of Maurice Hurel (which will create then in 1947 the company Hurel-Dubois), puts a term at the aeronautical activities and the factory will be devoted to the realization of Gazogène metal S and chairs.

Special machines

After this stop of the aeronautical activities during the war, the recovery is made on April 1st, 1947 in aeronautics in the field of the Astronautique and of the Missile S. Cannes will be implied in the family of the fused " Stones précieuses" leading to the launcher Diamond, ancestor of ARIANE.

Group technical of Cannes

The establishment takes the name of " Group technical of Cannes" (GTC), under the direction of Louis Marnay, reinforced with a team of forty technicians come from Marignane, seat of the Research department " hélicoptères".

Cannes , under the aegis of the official services, studies, manufactures and tests (in particular with Colomb-Béchar) in 10 years, more than one thousand of various machines (Sol-sol, Air-sol, Sol-Air) using the propulsion with powder, Bi-liquid or with Statoréacteur. Manpower increase by 230 to 400 people and a very important test laboratory is created there.

South-aviation: The deterrent power

March 1st, 1957 in aeronautics: the SNCASE amalgamates with the SNCASO, becoming South-Aviation. Roger Béteille arrives at Cannes and takes the technical direction of the technical Groupe of Cannes . There is a central role for the continuation of the " Center" by obtaining " Services officiels" budgets for the creation of very important test facilities - vibrating pots, acoustic room, chamber vacuum, etc and buildings complementary to accommodate them -, necessary to the development of the ballistic missiles, then, later, of the satellites.

The Company for the study and the realization of ballistic missiles (SEREB), project superintendent of the program of Missile S for the Force of French nuclear deterrence, is created on September 17th, 1959 in aeronautics. All the programs of machines in progress are stopped with the profit of one only objective: to carry out Ballistic missile S with long range.

Cannes is seen entrusting the beginning of the realization and of the tests of the development models then becomes the industrial project superintendent of the boxes to equipment of missiles SSBS and MSBS. It is the beginning of a construction in great series.

In parallel, Roger Béteille invents the concept and carries out X422, a machine of before ramjet guard, tested successfully in 1967. He is, before the letter, authentic a Cruise missile functioning at Mach 2. Given up project, it, will have developed later on another site of aerospatiale, an operational successor ASMP.

Diversification towards the space one

Starting from the years 1960 and the creation of the National center of space studies (CNES), the Center starts to work in the sector Spatial for national plans. June 14th, 1962 in astronautics: creation of the European Council of space research (ESRO) and beginning of the space studies at the European level.

Aerospatiale Satellites

January 1st, 1970 in aeronautics : fusion of South-Aviation, North-Aviation and SEREB becoming the Soci3et3e Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale (SNIAS), known as aerospatiale. Cannes becomes the " satellite pole s" of aerospatiale, Mureaux while becoming the " pole Launchers ". The Satellites activity will grow gradually to become majority in the years 1980, then the only activity in 1998.
May 31st, 1975 in astronautics : creation of the European space agency (ESA); Cannes gains its first great control of work: Météosat.
In the years 1980 , the activity in the Telecommunications satellites is increasing. In 1981, Cannes gains its first great control of international work: Arabsat . This activity will do nothing but grow, after the creation of the family Spacebus, to become the majority activity in the years 1990.

The space one becomes majority

July 10th, 1991 in astronautics: the Center increases in the north of the railway with the inauguration of the site " Eole " dedicated entirely to the space activities (which represent now more than 50% of the activity) by Paul Quilès, minister for the Equipment, Housing, Transport and Space, in the presence of Henri Martre, chairman of the company. Manpower are now of 1.400 paid, built surface passed to more than 40.000 m2. Cannes now became the first manufacturer of satellites European .

Extension on Mandelieu

In 1993 , the Center extends on the common neighbor from Mandelieu, by resumption of buildings of old the Space Camp of Patrick Baudry.

Alcatel Space: the space whole

July 1st, 1998 in astronautics: resumption of the Satellite activities of aerospatiale by Alcatel Space (old Alcatel Spaces). The activity Cases with equipment of the missiles leaves the establishment which does not make any more whereas " Spatial" deserving name .

Italian marriage: Alcatel Alenia Space

July 1st, 2005 in astronautics, the company amalgamates with Italian space industry Alenia Spazio of the group Finmeccanica and forms Alcatel Alenia Space.

In the Thalès group: Thalès Alenia Space

April 10th, 2007 in astronautics, two years later, Alcatel separates from its space activities which are taken again by Thalès. the company becomes Thalès Alenia Space which chooses the Center like Head office.

Leaders

1929 : Etienne Romano, the founder of the company
1939: Louis Marnay
1976: Gerard Chauvallon
December 1981: Lucien Case
October 1st, 1986: Roger Imbert
1991: Jean Zieger
August 1st, 2003 in astronautics: Jean-Pierre Henry

The space one

As from the years 1960 and with the creation of the National center of space studies (CNES), the Center starts to work in the space sector. It was a will of its leader of the time, Louis Marnay, starting from the report of the Dualité of the technical activities used on the equipment boxes of the Missiles and those of the platforms (or Module of service) of the satellite .

Technologies

Principal space technologies were developed with Cannes , thanks to contracts of Research and development (R & D) of the company itself ( aerospatiale in very first place), CNES, then of the ESRO (becoming ESA later). They carried mainly on the structures with use of the composite Materials, the mechanisms, the generating solar, the thermal control (a technique whose Center is at the origin in Europe, having developed the calculation programmes and technologies as of the years 1970 for the geostationary first Satellites stabilized three-axes Symphonie ) and space optics.

These technologies were applied to very many programs, those in control of work of the Center but also to subcontracts of other project superintendents, of which mainly:

CNES for its first Satellite scientists: Diadem, D2A Sunflower (1971), Polar D2A (1971), D2B Will have (1975), D2B Cygne (1977), PEOLE (1970), EOLE (1971), D5A Castor (1973) and D5B Pollux (1975).
the ESRO, also for its first scientific satellites: COS-B (1975), EXOSAT (1983).
the Consortium CIFAS, manager of the program Symphony .
Matra Spaces, now Astrium, and its programs SPOT, Télécom 1&2, Helios, METOP.
Ford Aerospace, now, and its Intelsat V.
MBB for ERS (Satellite European Remote-Sensing), then ENVISAT.
the series of first generation, for Space Systems/Loral .

On the other hand, except with rare exceptions, although having many competences in the fields of the electronic and the Telecommunications, the Center did not produce a space equipment in these fields. For all the satellites of which it will ensure the control of work, there will be obligatory co-operation with equipment suppliers of these disciplines. That will contribute to fusions without doubled blooms, and thus without social problems, with the specialists in these disciplines: Alcatel Space, Alenia Aeronautica.

Platforms in series

The Center develops three types of platforms which are the subject of achievements in series:

a platform stabilized in rotation (spinnée) for the Météosat of 1st generation, improved for those of the second generation
a stabilized platform three-axes intended primarily for the geostationary communications satellites Spacebus.
the small platform stabilized multimission three-axes for the low orbit, result of a cooperation agreement Aerospatiale/CNES Proteus. It continues with the die MYRIAD, decided by the CNES in 1998, in the continuity of the Proteus program.

Space optics

The optical is a major technology in the space one, because at the origin of great programs of observation of the astronomical Earth or . It becomes the great speciality of the Center , starting from the profit of the contract for the cameras of the military satellites Hélios. That is worth the realization of a single site in Europe to develop and test the most powerful optics:

reflecting Laser, whose the Center will become the First European realizer, installed on the lunar vehicles Soviet S Lunakhod and various satellites of geodesy: Diadem, Starlet, Météosat P2 (experiment Lasso for the very precise synchronization of Atomic clocks by laser).
cameras of Photogravure 1.
then those of Photogravures 2.
the spectrometer imagor MERIS, the camera of the satellite ENVISAT.
the camera Vegetation embarked on satellite SPOT-4 launched on March 23rd, 1998 (ARIANE 40, Flight 107).
IASI, the instrument infra-red most precise in space, making it possible to strongly improve weather forecasting and offering exceptional opportunities in climatology, is operational in orbit on board METOP.
ISOTEL, the telescope, and ISOCAM, the camera of the satellite ISO.

Controls of work

The control of work of a space program implies, in addition to activities of Management, management of Contrat S and under-contracts, the need for a Coopération Multinationale and the current practice of the language of Shakespeare. It is from 1973 that Cannes came there.

Test facilities - HAS

But, for a satellite, it comprises, in the majority of the cases, an essential technical activity: assembly, integration and test S (A). It implies the installation of very complex and expensive specific test facilities:

tests of Vibration on a vibrating pot
resistance to the Noise undergone during launching, with test in a acoustic room reverberating
tests vacuum-thermics allowing to simulate the operation of the satellite under the space conditions
measurements of the radioelectric performances in a anechoic room
special mechanical tests like the setting in Weightlessness of the solar generators and the reflectors of antennas
of the equipment mechanical, electric and electronic specific to the checking of operation (MGSE, EGSE) and the Software development of the S associated.

the Center was equipped gradually with such means enabling him to become, in the years 1990, the first European manufacturer of satellites. After Symphony , all the completely integrated satellites of aerospatiale, then Alcatel Space left towards a space Port since Cannes .

To face the increasing size of the satellites, the Center must be equipped with increasingly important means. December 5th, 2005, is inaugurated by Christian Estrosi, deputy secretary with town and country planning, the largest acoustic room of Europe.

Meteorological satellites

It is into 1973 that the Center gains its first control of work with the program of Meteorological satellite Météosat of the ESA. With seven satellites of first generation then four others of second generation, it is still, in 2007 after more than thirty years, the program " phare" from Cannes!

Communications satellites

The first communications satellite controls of work of come in 1981 with the signature from the international contract with Arabsat, organization of the Arab Ligue, that of the satellites of direct television of the Franco-German program TDF 1 & 2 and Swedish Tele-X.

It obliges the Center to be implied in new disciplines such as the international Marketing, the negotiations with the agencies of launching, implication in the Control center of satellites with the adequate staff training making it possible to deliver systems “turn-key”.

She sees the beginning of very long series based on the platform Spacebus generating more than 50% of the turnover of the Center .

Scientific satellites

In fact the ESA, in September 1984, allots to Cannes, with the Space telescope ISO, its first great control of work in the field of the Satellites scientists.

ISO was followed by the telescope Herschel and the Satellite Planck.

Within the framework of the series of the satellites Proteus , unquestionable satellite such as Corot, are dedicated to the Astronomie.

Space probes

It is the Center which carries out the Space probe Huygens, which was posed on Titan, satellite of Saturn, on January 14th, 2005 in astronautics, of the Mission Cassini-Huygens.

This event is illustrated by a fresco on the principal frontage of the building of seaside.

Satellites of teledetection

Several Satellites of teledetection, based on the platform Proteus is carried out: Jason-1 (teledetection for the levelling of the oceans, launched on December 7th, 2001), CALIPSO (satellite of meteorology launched on April 28th, 2006), SMOS (mission of study of the moisture of the grounds).

Mediatization

Starting from the years 1975 and the rise to power of very the Media tick space Industry, the Center opens on outside. Operations of Public relations start to be undertaken on large scales, taking part in the assistance with the teams of marketing: televisual Written press and , reception of visitors and increasingly many customers, exposures, and living rooms in the whole world, but also locally making known the activities of the Center in the area, largely reported in the columns of the local newspapers, of which mainly Nice-Morning.

aerospatiale 06

October 1st, 1982 in aeronautics, Lucien Case, director of the establishment, creates the newspaper of company aerospatiale 06 . The Editor association is Pierre Marchal, person in charge of the foreign relations. It will be regularly published every month during 16 years until 1998 and the resumption of the establishment by Alcatel Space. In addition to a diffusion with all the personnel, it is also distributed to all the regional personalities, thus taking part in a better knowledge of the activities of the Center . April 1st, 1986 in aeronautics, Guy Lebègue takes the responsability for the foreign relations and the drafting of the newspaper.

Days open doors

It is as as from this time as the Center can start to show its activities outside, first of all towards its personnel, but also to the industrial and political persons in charge local, by the means of Journées open doors (JPO), difficult to organize taking into account the complexity of the installations and the Clean rooms with difficulty “worth visiting”. Two were organized, whose press was largely made echo: May 1983 & September 30th, 2006.

Window of high technologies

As from the years 1980, the Center becomes a window of the highly technological achievements of aerospatiale. Will ravel there, often in parallel with visits of the chains Airbus, personalities of all countries, guided by the successive chairmen of the company. Visits reported by the Book of gold of the establishment, Re-examined aerospatiale, as it should be, and the local press (of which mainly Nice-Morning), main road or international. To quote only those of Heads of State and Governments:

Henri Martre makes the honor of the Center with the king and the queen of Spain, in the presence of Hubert Curien, Minister for research, on July 10th, 1985 and Franz Josef Strauß, the minister chair Bavaria, in July 1987.
Serge Tchuruk receives Jacques Chirac, president of the Republic, on March 9th, 2006.

Video clips

From the years 1986, the need for modern means of communication is specified. Videos clips are produced proposing various products. ; Visit Cannes A 15 minutes video is produced in 1988, under flag aerospatiale, showing the Center , its history, its current activities, its implication in the area. It is used as clip of reception for the visitors, but is also used on many exposures or living rooms, of which that of the International fair of the aeronautics and space of Paris-Le Bourget, on which it is seen of all public regularly every two years:

Scenario and setting in scene: François Canéparo, Guy Lebègue
Realization, wiring for sound, bilingual doubling its French-English: Jean-Christmas Angot, World Magazine.

It will be reactualized during the reorganizations of the company, in 1998, raising the flag Alcatel Space, then in 2005, raising the flag Alcatel Alenia Space and is always snuffed many visitors, general public, in particular.

Economic impact in the area

The Turnover of the Center unknown, because is globalisé with that of its head office Thalès Alenia Space. It is primarily translated into Salaire S for the personnel and those of the companies Sous-traitant be. But if one makes a rule of three between manpower of the Center and those of the head office, that is to say 26%, that arises to approximately 500 million euros per annum. Characteristic interesting is that practically all the produced satellites are export are and pass in Douane to the Aéroport of Nice, which makes Center one of the first Exportateur S of the Riviera, to equal of the Parfums of Grasse.

It is certain, that with nearly 2000 employees, the Center generates an important economy in the area, on the level of the taxes and the Professional tax, obviously, but especially by the expenditure of many families, of which the Logement. This last being of a cost high on the littoral communes, the personnel, as of the years 1970, colonized all the back-country, often implying in the social life, associative, even political many communes of the departments of the the Alpes-Maritimes and Var.

Impact also in the field of the restoration of the personnel, with two staff canteens serving close as 1.600 meals per the day, probably largest of the department!

Implication in the area

Dependant on this beginning of mediatization, the Center started to be implied in regional fabric.

Participation in associations

Participation, with other companies of the department working in the field of telecommunications, with creation in 1991 of the Telecom Valley
Creation in 1991 and lodging on the site of the regional Group of the aeronautical Association and astronautics of France (AAAF)
the Center is the recipient of the Convention, signed by its various head offices with the Association PARSEC for the promotion of the scientific activities in the department of the Alpes-Maritimes, making it possible to organize visits of the Center by the means of its substructure Classes Azure Astro-Space.
Creation, in 2000, of '' Andantino '', Club of companies patrons of the regional Orchestra of Cannes-Provence-Alp-Coast-D' Azure
Participation in the initiatives of the Poles of competitiveness created around the Technopolis of Sophia Antipolis:

Risk management and vulnerability of the territories, President Joel Fire-dog, director of the strategy and marketing, Thalès Alenia Space
made safe communicating Solutions (SCS), President Jean-Pierre Henry, director of the Space center of Cannes Mandelieu
PEGASE , research in aeronautics/space, connection with the pole Aerospace Valley, carried by Thalès Alenia Space.

Sustainable development

In addition to carrying out in the Center of many intended satellites, with the world plan, ecology and the Sustainable development, the such Météosat, Metop, Envisat, Jason, Calipso, the Center is implied in these disciplines with the regional plan with initiatives like:

the development of the projects of cycle tracks for the employees
the installation of the Covoiturage.

Prize list - Distinctions

a first world in January 1967 : X422, a machine of before ramjet guard, invented by Roger Béteille, is tested successfully with Hammaguir. It is, before the letter, authentic a Cruise missile functioning at Mach 2.

the king Juan Carlos Ier of Spain and the Sofia queen, visit the Center , on July 10th, 1985, in the presence of Henri Martre, chairman of aerospatiale and Hubert Curien, Minister for research.

First European manufacturer of satellites , since 1991. At that time, the Center is the Division Satellites of aerospatiale.

Jacques Chirac, president of the French Republic, visit the Center , on March 9th, 2006, received by Serge Tchuruk, chairman of Alcatel and Pascale Smiled, chairman of Alcatel Alenia Space.

World leader in term of orders and the first manufacturer in Europe , in the field of the communications satellite in 2006, such is the prize list of Thalès Alenia Space in this beginning 2007, whose satellites are assembled and tested for the great majority in the Center before their departure, towards various the launching bases, since the Aéroport Nice Riviera.

Notes and references of the article

See too

; industrial past

; this industrialist

Thalès Alenia Space

; the great programs

Météosat
Spacebus
Proteus

; regional implications

Association PARSEC
Association Andantino
Telecom Valley

External bonds and documents

Web site of old of Alcatel Spaces
official Web site of Thalès Alenia Space
Cannes and its history: aeronautics, official site of the town of Cannes.
Alcatel space in Cannes. More than one company, a legend, the new economist , March 2002.
Site of the poles of competitiveness of Sophia-Antipolis
Site of pole SCS

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