Thales Alenia Space Belgium

Overview

Thales Alenia Space Belgium operates from a 9,000 square metre clean-room facility in Charleroi, with approximately 600 employees. The Charleroi site designs and produces power electronics for satellites and launchers, including for the Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 European launchers. Belgian engineers handle the full lifecycle from mechanical and thermal packaging, through radiation simulations, to the assembly and qualification of flight hardware.

The site is the world reference for power conditioning and distribution units used on commercial and institutional satellites, and operates the first automated European production line for photovoltaic assemblies, the electricity-generating cells fitted to satellite solar panels. The plant also offers industrial test capabilities including EMC measurement, vibration testing and pyro-shock testing for spaceflight hardware.

In 2022 the Charleroi plant opened a FabLab combining brainstorming, mechanical and electronic prototyping, 3D printing and digital design, intended to shorten cycle times for new space and exploration programs. The Belgian subsidiary is part of the wider Thales Alenia Space joint venture between French group Thales and Italian group Leonardo, and is distinct from Thales Belgium, the defense and rocket-systems subsidiary in Tubize and Herstal.