ArianeGroup Secures Long-Term Supply of CFRP Payload Fairings From Beyond Gravity

ArianeGroup (Paris, France) and Beyond Gravity (Zurich, Switzerland) have signed a new contract for the operational phase of Ariane 6, securing Europe’s access to space for years to come. The agreement covers the supply of 27 carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) payload fairings for the flight models 16 to 42 of Ariane 6.

ArianeGroup is prime contractor for the Ariane 6 rocket. Following the successful completion of its initial flights, ArianeGroup is currently increasing production rate. Beyond Gravity, an international space supplier with 12 locations in six countries, has been producing payload fairings for every Ariane mission since the first flight of Ariane 1 in 1979.

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.

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 is making a key contribution to the industrial ramp-up of the Ariane 6 program and to the planned launch cadence of nine to ten missions per year.