Finland's Patria company (Hall 4, Stand B1) has made an important contribution to the European Space Agency's largest space telescope project. The company developed the main load-carrying structure for the Newton X-Ray Multi Mission spacecraft, XMM, which was launched in 1999 and is now sending back sensational images of deep space. The 3.8t XMM is the biggest satellite built in Europe and consists of three main sections, including the 7m (23ft) telescope tube, built by Patria using new composite structures to provide light weight but strength.
As a result of the company's success with the XMM, Patria is designing and manufacturing the entire platform structure for the ESA Rosetta spacecraft. In addition the company produces science data and power electronics and power distribution units and optical monitoring instruments for ESA satellites, such as Envisat.
Source: Flight Daily News