Launchers

A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is an expendable or reusable rocket used to carry a payload from Earth into space.
Generally, the payload will be an artificial satellite to be placed in orbit. However, some spaceflights are sub-orbital while others, such as deep space exploration missions, will escape Earth’s orbit entirely.

Saft has a wealth of spaceflight experience in the design, development and supply of reliable, high-power batteries that support vital launch vehicle systems including:

• safeguard and pyrotechnical subsystems
• thrust vector control (TVC)
• avionics (guidance, navigation)
• telemetry
• pump activation

Saft’s space battery ranges include primary batteries (Ag-Zn) and rechargeable Ni-Cd and Li-ion batteries (Space MPS, VLP and VLV ranges).

Saft has strong experience in supplying a variety of battery technologies for the European Space Agency’s Ariane launch vehicles, in applications including:

• vehicle equipment bay (VEB)
• cryogenic main core stage (EPC)
• cryogenic upper stage
• Solid Rocket boosters (EAP)