Norway: Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS
This Norwegian company is based in the town of the same name, which lies in the southeast of Norway, approximately 100 kms from Oslo. Kongsberg is a popular place with tourists. In the winter months it is a downhill and a cross-country ski resort, and in the summer, visitors can tour the silver mines which led to the town’s growth in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Now Kongsberg is known as one of the leading technology cities in Norway. One of the companies to which it owes this fame is Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS, which is part of the Kongsberg Gruppen. Altogether the group employs 3765 men and women, 787 of whom work abroad.
The Group’s four core areas of excellence are signal processing, engineering cybernetics, systems integration and software. Although in its current form Kongsberg Gruppen is a relatively young corporation, the history of the Group has been closely interwoven with that of the city of Kongsberg for no less than five centuries.
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS is Norway’s largest supplier to the European Space Agency and makes two essential components for the Ariane-5 launcher: the forward and rear booster attachment and release mechanisms that connect the Ariane 5’s main engine and boosters to the launcher.
The forward booster attachment and release mechanism (DAAV) transfers the full thrust of the booster to the Ariane-5 main stage. It has been designed to take a total load in excess of 1000 tonnes and has to be extremely strong and reliable.
The Rear Booster Attachment and Release Mechanism (DAAR) keeps the booster securely strapped to the main stage during the vital first 140 seconds of the launch. Then, linear charges cut the two DAAVs and the six DAARs for a clean separation - this takes just 5 milliseconds. The boosters fall away from the launcher, which then continues on its journey into space to put satellite(s) into orbit.
Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace also developed the Ariane-5 functional simulator, called SFL. This is used to check all the functional systems of the Ariane 5 prior to each launch.
