Beyond Gravity has signed one of the biggest contracts in its history and one that cements its position as key player in the European launch supply chain. It has signed a major contract with ArianeGroup to supply 27 payload fairings for the flight models 16 to 42 of Ariane 6. Following the successful completion of its initial flights, ArianeGroup is currently increasing the Ariane 6 production rate. The two companies announced the deal, July 8.
The new contract for the operational phase starts at the end of 2026 and marks the largest to date in the history of Beyond Gravity’s Swiss launch vehicle business. By producing 20 long and seven short payload fairings, the company contributes industrial ramp-up of the Ariane 6 program and to the planned launch cadence of nine to ten missions per year.
Beyond Gravity has been producing payload fairings for every Ariane mission since the first flight of Ariane 1 in 1979. Beyond Gravity is also playing an important role in the Ariane 6 program. Depending on the mission, the European heavy-launcher can be equipped with a short (14-meter) or long (20-meter) payload fairing. This allows Ariane 6 to adapt to a wide variety of payloads. Instead of maintaining a separate system for each mission type, a common technical platform covers the entire spectrum.
“We are delighted to actively help shape the ramp-up of the Ariane 6 launch vehicle program by supplying key technologies and to continue our long-standing partnership with ArianeGroup and the ESA. With our ability to mass-produce highly complex launch vehicle structures to the highest quality standards, we are making a key contribution to the competitiveness of the European space industry,” Barbara Frei-Spreiter, CEO, Beyond Gravity, said in a statement.
